WITH reports of higher yields from farmers’ paddy cultivation, over 530,000 tonnes of paddy is projected to be produced. This is up nine per cent from the 488,833 tonnes that was projected for the first crop of 2018.

For the year, 51,280 hectares of the 87,539 hectares sown has been harvested and General Manager of the Guyana Rice Development Board, Nizam Hassan, noted that production thus far bodes well for the rice industry.

“Thus far, we’ve seen an excellent performance in the first rice crop of 2018. To date, we have harvested 59 per cent across the country and we have seen an increase in yields.

Yield increases have moved from two bags per acre to as much as nine bags per acre; this has been really good for the farmers since they also have been receiving higher prices for their production. So, overall, we have seen higher yields, better prices and also better paddy coming out of the fields, in terms of production,” Hassan related.

The general manager also noted that there is much more to come, since the projected yield for the first crop of 2018 was 5.6 metric tonnes per hectare. However, with the identified performance and average yield so far being 6.1 tonnes per hectare and one area reporting as much as 7.1 tonnes per hectare, the crop will close with record-breaking yields. As of Sunday, 310,748 tonnes of paddy equivalent to 201,986 tonnes of rice has been harvested.

“This fares very well for the sector and very well for the industry, because we’ve been getting increases in terms of inquiries and increased opportunities to market our products, and all of the increased production we have seen has been committed to markets which is a good thing for our producers and the business persons involved in the sale. All of the production has been committed to the market, so we’re able to fulfil our markets,” Hassan stated.

Over the years, the industry has been resilient, seeing significant increases in its first crops. Since the first crop of 2018 is yet to be completed, the over 530,000 tonnes of paddy projected to be produced is set to outstrip paddy production in 2017, which was recorded at 518,667 metric tonnes. (DPI)

The harvest for the year is as follows:
Regions           Hectares Harvested            Percentage of hectares thus far
Region Two        9,792 hectares                     73 per cent of its cultivation
Region Three        6,153 hectares                     76 per cent of its cultivation
Region Four        2,773 hectares                     80 per cent of its cultivation
Region Five        19,713 hectares                   50 per cent of its cultivation
Region Six        12,849 hectares                   56 per cent of its cultivation