MINISTER of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha says the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) has been invited to assist Guyana in retrieving the $1.9 billion owed rice millers by the Panamanian authorities.

“Hopefully, shortly the Minister of Agriculture of Panama and myself will have a meeting on this matter. I am optimistic that after that meeting, we can have the payment,” Mustapha told the Department of Public Information (DPI).
Guyana shipped a substantial amount of rice to Panama and two contracts were signed — one in 2018 and another in 2019 — however, only a partial payment has been made on the 2018 agreement to date. Since taking office, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government has taken robust steps to ensure that the Spanish-speaking country pays the outstanding sums.
As part of the measures, on November 27, 2020, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation dispatched a letter to the Panamanian government indicating the need for urgency in honouring the obligations to Guyana.

President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali also intervened and Panama acknowledged the arrears and has since committed to making the payment. Despite the circumstances, Minister Mustapha said the Panamanian government continues to show interest in Guyana’s rice.
“They have also indicated their interest that they want to continue with the contract that we have, but I am waiting for this meeting and IICA is making the arrangement,” he was quoted as saying by the DPI.

Minister Mustapha blames the previous coalition government for the delays, noting that if they had shown interest in the farmers, this dilemma would not have existed. The previous administration had said that it was not responsible for farmers being owed by millers for rice shipped to Panama.