SCORES of rice farmers on Essequibo Coast have rushed to the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) office at Anna Regina to uplift forms for assistance from government to go to back cultivating their fields.

Those who have suffered losses from their crops due to bugs infestation and low prices collected the documents.
At three public meetings last Sunday, in Hampton Court, Anna Regina and Golden Fleece, General Secretary of the Rice Producers Association (RPA), Mr. Dharamkumar Seeraj advised the planters that support will be afforded them in whatever way needed to ensure they resume planting.
He indicated that assistance will be given those who were severely affected by infestation of their fields and the documentation will be available to whose paddy received C, D and E grades.
Seeraj said the forms are specifically designed to ascertain farmers’ losses and, based on the findings, necessary aid will be provided them.
Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Alli Baksh, who also addressed the meetings, said government, through the various stakeholders, will help farmers since the Agriculture Ministry has recognised the destruction caused in the fields due to the infestation.
He said the government is committed to offering the help in an effort to see farmers go back to the land.
GRDB officers said 300 forms are available to farmers at the office and the intended beneficiaries are responding positively to the offer by government.
Meanwhile, the planters are also paying for and ordering seed paddy supplies from the RPA and GRDB to sow for the Autumn crop and preparation of fields are in progress across the Coast, as farmers welcome the current heavy rainfall that is helping to flood their lands.