OPPOSITION Member of Parliament (MP), Dharamkumar Seeraj has called on government to reduce the tax on fuel and reduce the fees for drainage and irrigation.

“Let the farmers benefit…the cost of production is going up and it is now $15,000 per acre for drainage and irrigation…the purchase of fuel alone has cost farmers $3 billion in taxes…they need to give support so that farmers can produce and compete,” said Seeraj during his presentation on the fourth day of the budget debates.
Seeraj argued that rice farmers in particular have been losing because seedlings distributed by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) do not germinate.

Minister of Finance Winston Jordan in his budget speech said the introduction by GRDB of a new and higher yielding variety – GRDB 15 – in time for the second crop of 2018, as well as improved practices and domestic prices is expected to result in growth of 0.2 per cent in total production for the year.

Jordan also said the international price of rice is anticipated to rise to US$420 per metric tonne at the end of 2018, and to US$422 per metric tonne, in 2019. However, global rice production is projected to decline towards the end of 2018, and into 2019.

Seeraj however contended that farmers continue to face numerous problems, and have been getting low prices for their paddy and even losing paddy because of pests and diseases.

“Just last season farmers lost over $1 billion because of poor pest control,” said the MP, adding that government needs to explore this area of concern. He said farmers have also incurred and encounter difficulties with their machines which basically sustain their livelihood.

According to Seeraj most of the rice producers are private individuals who are sustaining the rice industry.