-50% and 70% reduction in paddy transportation cost
-credit option to transport paddy
-5 day per week ferry service

MINISTER within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, on Friday, announced that as part of government’s COVID-19 relief measures, Wakenaam rice farmers will benefit from 50 per cent and 70 per cent reduction respectively, in the cost to transport their paddy to Essequibo and Parika.

The minister made this known to the farmers during an outreach at the Wakenaam Secondary School.

The farmers were informed of government’s new subsidising initiative which is geared towards providing them with much-needed relief during this period. The initiative is the first of its kind to be offered to the farmers of Wakenaam.

Minister Indar said the government is cognisant of the challenges faced by all Guyanese in this unprecedented time. “Due to the pandemic things have been tough on the island, tough throughout the country and tough on especially on farmers,” he emphasised.

He added, “The rice farmers of Wakenaam have been asking for assistance to get their transportation cost reduced, not just now, and it’s burdensome to them. We are aware of that and we have come up with this initiative to bring them some relief.”

He explained that this initiative, which was crafted for this crop harvest, will see the rice farmers paying $80 per sack to take their paddy to Essequibo and Parika. This is a significant reduction from the $170 and $270 that the farmers usually pay to transport their produce.

Further, Minister Indar informed that the initiative is coming through the Transport and Harbour Department of the Ministry of Public Works.
He told the farmers that in continuing the government’s promise to provide relief to them during this period, the Transport and Harbour Department will also be providing the rice farmers with a consignment loan option, so as to enable them to transport their produce on credit and fulfil their payment obligation at a later date.

According to Minister Indar, the department has also returned to its regular five-day ferry operation schedule.

He told the farmers that there are many initiatives planned for the island and that he is looking forward to the continued collaboration with the residents. The aim is not only to hear about their needs but to work to ensure systems and initiatives are put in place to address the concerns and issues they may have.

TIMELY

Meanwhile, Chairman of Region Three, Ishan Ayube, told the Guyana Chronicle that he believes that the initiative is both timely and important.

Ayube, who was at the outreach, said that the COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected revenues earned from production as many farmers are unable to move their products to their markets and consumers. He added that this initiative will allow those affected farmers to have the opportunity to make up for that “dry” period.

Many of the farmers shared their perspective on the initiative, calling it “much needed”. They expressed their appreciation to Minister Indar and the government.

Jeetendra Ramkissoon told the Guyana Chronicle that it has been “really tough” and “expensive” to transport his produce, especially in the last few months. He expressed his appreciation to government for the assistance being provided.

“The past 10 to 15 crop we were facing this problem with transportation, but for now I see that the subsidies from the government and the boat returning back to five days a week, I see us as farmers having a better chance of using our crops to sustain ourselves and families,” said Ramkissoon.
He further said the farmers would be able to save that extra money that they would have had to pay for the transport, and this by itself is a major benefit. The farmers, he added, can also reinvest some of the money saved in crop production, so that they could maximise on their profits.

BENEFICIAL

Another farmer, Terry Singh, who has been planting of over 20 years, said he has never seen an initiative like this by any government, adding that it is very beneficial to the farmers.

He explained that the reduced cost of transport will allow the farmers the opportunity to be better off during the pandemic.

Tom Singh, like his fellow farmers, commended the government and Minister Indar for bringing relief to them. He said the farmers have been asking for a like initiative for several years and he is happy to see that the government of the day has not just listened to their concerns but has reacted proactively.

“What the government has just done would be really good for the farmers because it would ease them the transportation cost. For now the cost is not very high on the paddy so whatever we can save now would be very good. I feel this initiative would be very good for the farmers,” he added.

Singh informed that sometimes the farmers are “barely afloat” and he believes that this initiative is paving the way to allow them to be able to not just cover their cost of production and transportation, but to do that at a reduced rate, thereby allowing them the opportunity to save, and invest in their businesses as well as families.

MILLIONS WILL BE SAVED

Meanwhile, Wakenaam councillor, Sheikh Ahmed, disclosed that with this initiative farmers will save close to $3.5 million. He stated that he is appreciative of the Transport and Harbour Department’s decision to revert to the regular five days a week operation of the ferry. This, he said, would allow the farmers easier access to transporting their produce from the island to their destination, whether Essequibo or Parika.

Ahmed used the opportunity to thank the government for this initiative saying, “We have seen a lot of positive movements in the just two months the government has been in place. We have seen our president and his ministers and all the regional chairman are on the ground and are moving services to the people and that is what should happen.”