GOVERNMENT yesterday released the $2.3 billion outstanding to millers for rice and paddy supplied to Venezuela for the spring crop 2015.“Millers have uplifted their cheques. This means that the Government has cleared its debts for the spring crop. It means that millers can now pay the farmers,” Manager at the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) Madanlall Ramraj said.
Ramraj said that the spring crop had been valued at $19 billion. And of this amount $15.5 billion has been paid since the harvesting of that crop.
The $2.3 billion handed out yesterday meant that an amount of approximately $1.2 billion was outstanding for the spring crop but this amount was not the responsibility of the GRDB.
“Millers would have to pay this amount by selling to other markets.”
He made the disclosure following queries by General Secretary of the Guyana Rice Producers Association (GRPA) Dharamkumar Seeraj who had expressed concerns over the adverse effects these delayed payments for the spring crop 2015 were having on rice farmers.