– says Agriculture Minister

WITH the anticipation of moderate weather conditions in the coming months, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha is optimistic that Guyana’s rice and sugar sectors will see improved production.
Mustapha, in a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle, said that the rice industry is still on the road to recovery from the floods of 2021 and early 2022.

RICE
“When you look at the yield, we are getting good yield; almost six tons per hectare. So, it’s showing good signs of recovering,” Mustapha said.
He added, “But I am optimistic that we will pass these 200,000 acres for the new crop coming in so that we can increase production substantially.”

In the first half of 2022, the cultivation of paddy required expanded support from government due to the adverse weather conditions and the increase in the prices for fertiliser.
Government’s quick response to the drainage and irrigation challenges helped to contain the negative impact on rice production in the first crop. A decrease in production was, however, still recorded.

“We have seen constant heavy rainfall over the last two years and because of that, rice is a crop that you have to have proper land, proper weather condition.
“Because of the condition of the land, we have seen a decrease in the cultivation of the land in terms of the acreage,” the Agriculture Minister added.

Mustapha explained that during the wet seasons, where above normal rainfall and flooding was recorded, many rice farmers were unable to reap their paddy. This resulted in farmers only being able to cultivate a total of 180,000 acres, thus missing the 200,000-acre target.

“Some people were able to reap their paddy, [and] some people weren’t able to get back in the land, to prepare the land. We never had a dry ploughing,” he added further.

SUGAR
Meanwhile, as it relates to sugar, the minster disclosed that there was significant damage as a result of flooding. This, he said, caused a decrease in the production of sugar. He noted that several young crops were destroyed.
“We would have seen what the flood has done and when you have problems in the sugar industry in terms of damage to the cane, it’s a long-term effect.

“And a lot of canes would have [been] destroyed in Albion, and as a result of that, GuySuCo [Guyana Sugar Corporation] would have had to replant and replant,” he further explained.
Despite the inclement weather conditions, several upgrades were made to the various sugar estates to boost and improve production.

According to the Ministry of Finance’s mid-year report, works were undertaken at the factories at Albion, Blairmont, Uitvlugt and Rose Hall.
Improvement to the Albion Estate included upgrading of a knife turbine, replacement of mill rollers, and an overhaul of one of the main diesel generators.

At Blairmont, the crushers and mill rollers are being replaced, and the sugar wharf is being rehabilitated. Works at Uitvlugt included the replacement of the feeder table and the rehabilitation of a boiler.
At Rose Hall, a complete rehabilitation of the factory is being undertaken. Further, works were advanced for the conversion of the fields for machine harvesting and rehabilitation of the access dams at all four of the estates.
With the rehabilitation works completed and the rehiring of several factory workers, Mustapha is optimistic the industry will make a full “rebound”.