-Over 242,000 tonnes exported

THE local rice industry has remained resilient against the damning effects of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), and has raked in US$99 million through exports, for the first half of the year (first crop).

“We’ve done 242,812 tonnes of export valued at US$99,000,000 compared to 215,330 tonnes valued at US$87,000,000 USD for the corresponding period in 2019,” said General Manager of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Nizam Hassan, in a press statement which was released, on Thursday.

The export earnings from the first crop reflected a 13 per cent increase when compared to corresponding period last year.

Hassan said there has been an increase in the export of packaged rice, signaling a greater sale of value added products. This means that Guyana is earning more revenue for its rice and indicates a greater demand for our retail ready packaged rice.

“With regards to Packaged Parboiled Rice we exported 3,705 tonnes in 2019 compared to 5,535 tonnes in 2020 and with regards to Packaged White Rice, which has really shown an astronomical jump, it has moved from 6,316 tonnes in 2019 to 47,484 tonnes in 2020,” he said, adding that rice production has been on a steady upward trajectory over the last few years.

According to a report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: “The improvement of extension services of the GRDB and the expansion of Public Agricultural Investments supported crop yields.”

It is expected that annual production will increase for the fourth consecutive year and reach 1.1 million tonnes, roughly 15 per cent higher than the five-year average.

Guyana Chronicle reported in January that GRDB has recorded the second highest local rice production ever, with over one million tonnes of paddy being produced in 2019.

According to a press statement from the Ministry of Agriculture, some 1,049,874 metric tonnes of paddy was produced in 2019, 8,254 tonnes short of the record 2015 production of 1,058,128 tonnes.

“2019 stands as the second highest rice-producing year to date,” said the ministry, adding that Guyana managed to produce a record amount of rice despite the plethora of challenges the industry faced throughout the year. Among the challenges that the rice industry faced were “extremely unfavourable” weather conditions and some level of pest infestation.

“These challenges were taken head on by the GRDB, which spared no effort in ensuring that the extension and support services meted out to their rice farmers were superior,” said the agriculture ministry. Not only was production in 2019 close to surpassing the 2015 national record, but production has increased 28 per cent since 2016. This is possible not only by the efforts extended by the GRDB, but also by the “hard work” of farmers.
Nationally, some 16,526,024 bags of paddy or 682,418 metric tonnes of rice was produced. 178,628 hectares were sown, thereby equating to 93 bags of rice per hectare or 38 bags of rice per acre.