RICE farmers in Regions 5 (Mahaica/Berbice) and 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne) will complete sowing of the first rice crop of 2015 by the end of the month.

This is according to Head of the Guyana Rice Producers’ Association (RPA), Dharamkumar Seeraj, who added that irrigation challenges, due to expanded cultivation, in Region 6 extended the sowing period in that area.
He noted too that farmers in the three other rice producing regions have completed sowing. “We are done sowing in Regions 2 (Pomeroon/ Supenaam), 3 (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands) and in 4 (Demerara/Mahaica),” Seeraj said.
The RPA Head stressed that all farmers have been advised not extend sowing beyond January.
When asked, he indicated that some 233,000 acres of land is under cultivation for the first 2015 rice crop, with an expectation of about seven million bags of paddy.

RECORD-BREAKING 2014
Last year was another record breaking one for the rice industry which recorded a production of 635,238 tonnes, of which 501,208 tonnes was exported. The production in the final crop this year surpassed the first crop, which recorded just over 300,000 tonnes. The production for 2013 was 535,212 tonnes, which was far above the original target of 413,000 tonnes, and reflected a 27 per cent increase over the production in 2012. The average production per hectare was some five tonnes.

A BETTER 2015
The successes of the rice industry, Seeraj acknowledged, have created some challenges for the industry, particularly in the area of timely payments to rice farmers.
However, he declared that 2015 will be a better year on all fronts.
“For the last crop of 2014, the value of sales was $23B, of which a total of $22.2B was paid out to date,” the RPA Head said.
He added that the remaining sum is expected to be paid off by the end of January.
“We know the crop has doubled, so traditional levels of financing have doubled and millers are hard pressed, but we expect this crop to be better in all respects,” Seeraj assured.
In addition to increased production and sales, Guyana is seeking to expand its export market. The country currently has export agreements with several countries in the Caribbean, as well as with Venezuela and Panama, among others. Also, arrangements for rice shipments to countries in West Africa are still being finalised. It is expected that someday Guyana will overcome the existing challenges to bring it in line with the world’s largest producers of rice. As such, focus is being placed on exploring new and emerging global markets, tackling the crucial and critical issues to facilitate increasing production.
Rice production was at its lowest in Guyana in the late 1980s, due to neglect of the industry which saw a lack of sound agricultural policies and programmes, and little or no investment in agricultural infrastructure and research and training.
Today, there are greater investments in agriculture infrastructure, education and training of farmers, research, and more guaranteed markets as well. Secure drainage, new and improved farming technologies and new rice varieties are among some of the interventions over the years, on the part of Government, that have been fuelling the rice industry’s growth. Government, cognisant of maintaining the strong performance of the rice industry has offered the relevant support.

(Vanessa Narine)