ONE of the pillars of Guyana’s economy, rice, has recorded a success story in 2015 despite facing marketing challenges, Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder, has said. Speaking yesterday at that ministry’s end-of-year press conference, the Minister highlighted the fact that paddy production for 2015 had surpassed that of 2014 by 48,278 tonnes, or 7.6 per cent. As of December 16, 2015, paddy production stood tall at 1,051,563 tonnes, equivalent to 683,516 tonnes of rice. In 2014 however, only 977,289 tonnes of paddy, equivalent to 635,238 tonnes of rice, were produced.
Also registering a higher figure were exports for 2015, which stood at 510,807 tonnes, as compared to 501,208 tonnes in 2014.
However, the Minister explained that despite the increase in the volume of exports for this period, the value was 15 per cent lower than the value for 2014.
“For the period January–December 16, 2015, the value of the exports was $211,834,746, compared to $249,504,955 in 2014,” Minister Holder revealed.
As it relates to research capacity, he explained that both the GRDB 14 Variety and the Aromatic Variety were released along with production package for commercial cultivation by farmers in the Spring of 2015. Further, 19 advanced breeding lines are currently being tested in advanced yield trials in four locations across the country.
“These candidate varieties will be tested in farmers’ fields, and if found suitable, will be released. Another 65 advanced breeding lines are currently being tested at the research station. Each season, over 4,000 breeding lines are studied by the team at the Rice Research Station,” Minister Holder disclosed.
To this end, he underscored the role of the extension arm of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), which he says continues to give support to Guyana’s farmers countrywide in areas of best practices, problem solving, management, and decision making.
For 2015, too, extension officers were exposed to training in Paddy Bug management, cost of production, extension communication, organisation, leadership and management, seed improvement, and weight determination at mills.
In the area of Farmers’ Field Schools, Minister Holder disclosed that a total of 58 schools were conducted in 2015, and farmers were exposed to best practices during that time. Of these, 10 were held in Region 2; 16 in Region 3; 2 in Region 4; 16 in Region 5, and 14 in Region 6.
“With respect to quality control, 57 mills have been licensed as of November 2015, and 101 licensed graders are presently operating at mills countrywide,” he added.
Having outlined a fairly successful review of the industry, the Minister opined that, in 2016, it is expected that the new varieties released will continue to contribute to improving the productivity of rice in Guyana in the coming years.
“It is foreseen that GRDB 12, GRDB 13 and GRDB 14 will continue to expand in acreage in 2016,” the Minister related.
Additionally, GRDB will be implementing a proactive programme to manage “red rice”. Similarly comprehensive studies will be done on the paddy bug menace and its management, aimed at reducing losses, he said, adding that at least 500 varieties will be accessed from international research institutes and centres in 2016.

By Ravin Singh