–says APNU+AFC left farmers to fend for themselves, now seeks political mileage

AGRICULTURE Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, has slammed former Finance Minister Winston Jordan’s recent comment on the rice industry, saying it reeks of recklessness and disregard for the thousands of families who depend on the industry.
Mustapha, in a letter on Tuesday, said Jordan’s recommendation that smaller farmers should walk away from rice production is not only misguided, but also a stark reminder of the APNU+AFC Coalition’s record of neglect during its time in office.
“Between 2015 and 2020…rice farmers faced blatant neglect. The former President and coalition administration repeatedly told farmers that “rice is a private business”, leaving them to struggle without meaningful government support.
“When Panama failed to pay for rice supplied under the coalition government, farmers and millers were left to fend for themselves, with no intervention or assistance from the very government that Mr. Jordan was a part of,” Mustapha said.
On the contrary, President, Dr. Irfaan Ali has laid out a comprehensive plan to expand and modernise the industry when the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) got into government back in 2020.
This includes increasing national storage capacity to stockpile up to five million tonnes of rice, investing in high-yield varieties to keep Guyana competitive in global markets, and introducing diversification initiatives such as cage crab farming to strengthen farmers’ cash flow.
“This is a far cry from Mr. Jordan’s proposal to push small farmers out of the industry and effectively abandon them. His comments ignore the fact that rice is not only a commercial product but also a cornerstone of Guyana’s rural economy, food security, and national identity,” Mustapha emphasised.
He argued that the APNU+AFC had their chance to prove themselves to farmers and failed, and today their leadership is trying to score political points off the very industry they once abandoned.
“The PPP/C Government will not abandon rice farmers. Instead, it is investing in infrastructure, research, and diversification to ensure that Guyana’s rice industry emerges stronger and more resilient in the face of global challenges.
“Mr. Jordan and his coalition colleagues had their chance and chose neglect. Today, they stand exposed as opportunists attempting to politicise the very sector they once abandoned,” Mustapha said.