MINISTER of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha assured rice farmers in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) on Thursday that the government is doing all it can to reduce costs in the rice industry.

The occasion was a meeting at the Regional State House at the behest of rice farmers to discuss the adverse effect the current drop in paddy prices is having on them with the start of the harvesting season in Region Two just around the corner.

Minister Mustapha began by reassuring the scores of rice farmers at the meeting that the government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, is constantly speaking to the suppliers to reduce their cost so that rice farmers can have more money in their pockets.

He told them that after some three hours of negotiations with the millers, he’d gotten them to agree to a price increase.

One such miller is Nazeemul Hakh, the owner of Golden Fleece Rice Investment, who is willing to pay $3500 for a bag of Grade ‘A’ paddy, and $3400 for Grades ‘B’ and ‘C’.

“We have recognised, as a government, that as long as the cost of production comes down, more money will be in the farmers pocket as disposable income. That is why when we assumed office, we immediately set out to reduce input in the industry; we immediately reduced land rental, VAT on agricultural machinery… These things help the farmers directly,” Minister Mustapha said.

He, however, hastened to explain that try as the government might, there are certain things that are beyond its control; things such as the increase in price for fertilizer.

He noted that just as the price for fertilizer was beginning to decrease, the war between Russia and Ukraine broke out, but that despite the negative effect developments in Eastern Europe have been having on Guyana and elsewhere, he is optimistic that come next crop, farmers will be offered fertilizer at a lower cost.

‘IMPROVED DAMS’

And while he had their undivided attention, Minister Mustapha used the opportunity to bring farmers up to speed on the proposed improvements in Region Two, whereby the Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) and the Water Users Association (WUA) will be expending some $30 million to rehabilitate a few dams in several communities along the Essequibo Coast.

“As the country develops, we will produce more of the imports like the fertilizer, and we will be able to offer them at lower prices,” Minister Mustapha said, adding: “Let me be frank, people are assuring us that we are giving more attention to rice farmers than cash-crop farmers, but as a government, we will continue to support you.”