—Black Bush rice farmers praise gov’t’s support for sustaining industry
By Bebi Shafeah Oosman
RICE farmers in Black Bush Polder are welcoming the government’s latest $3 billion support initiative, describing it as timely assistance that will help them return to cultivation sooner.
For many farmers, the direct cash transfer announced by President Dr. Irfaan Ali is more than financial relief; it is proof that the government continues to honour its commitments to the agriculture sector.
Lesbeholden, Black Bush Polder rice farmer Randy Mattadin, who cultivates 66 acres of rice, said the support will allow him to reinvest in his next crop immediately.
“This money is a real help. Right now it gon help me a lot because I able to go back in crop early,” Mattadin said.
Praising the administration’s continued interventions for rice farmers, he added, “This government na only talk thing, they promise we the $300 per bag and they deliver. The bag per acre fertiliser they give we too, they doing a wonderful job throughout Black Bush here.”
Mattadin noted that every dollar received will be channelled back into production to ensure greater returns during the upcoming crop.
Another farmer, Hemnarine, who has been involved in rice cultivation for more than two decades, also welcomed the initiative, noting that farming has its challenges and it is important to adapt to the change in how it is done.
“I like planting rice, but as time go on things happen, so we thankful for any help we get. This money will benefit we tremendously so we can go back to crop, so we really thank the minister and the government,” he said.
According to Hemnarine, he plans to use the funds to purchase fertiliser and other farming supplies needed for the next cultivation cycle. He noted that sometimes he would purchase fertiliser on “hold over” and pay later, but the next crop he will be able to use the money to purchase the items fully.
The assistance package was announced by President Ali in May during a meeting with rice farmers from across the country at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).
During the engagement, the President explained that the support measures were designed based on direct consultations with farmers to ensure the assistance reflected their real and varied needs.
Several options were presented, including direct cash support, fertiliser assistance, subsidies, and acreage-based payments. However, the majority of farmers present voted in favour of direct cash transfers.
Under the initiative, farmers with less than 50 acres of rice cultivation will receive $15,000 per acre, while those with more than 50 acres will receive $10,000 per acre.
President Ali also highlighted a number of interventions implemented by the government since 2020 to support the rice industry and improve farmers’ earnings.
Among those measures was the reduction of export commission fees paid to the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), moving from US$8 to US$6 per metric tonne in 2022 before eventually being removed and zero-rated altogether.
In response to global price pressures, the government also injected $3.1 billion in support for more than 15,000 rice farmers. An additional $3.4 billion was distributed through the $300 per bag subsidy when paddy prices declined in 2025.
The President further pointed to flood relief efforts, including $2 billion in direct assistance to affected farmers and the distribution of more than 20,000 bags of seed paddy to support recovery and sustain production across the country.
