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No licence for Mahaicony Rice Mills until all farmers paid – Ramsammy
The Mahaicony Rice Mills (MRL) which is the country’s largest rice milling company that controls an estimated 40 per cent of purchases countrywide, is facing the non-renewal of its operating licence unless all farmers are paid fully, Minister of Agriculture Dr. Leslie Ramsammy warned yesterday.
Rice Farm
According to the Minister, late payment to rice farmers continues to be a concern for his Ministry, and the Guyana Rice Development Board has not issued a licence to Mahaicony Rice Mills for 2012, and will not do so, unless all farmers are paid fully.
He has urged farmers to inform the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) and the rice producers’ association when they transact business with entities that promise to pay later.
The Agriculture Minister noted that stakeholders are working with millers and farmers to bring a speedy resolution to the issue of late payments in regions two and six.
At the beginning of December 2011, Mahaicony Rice Mills owed farmers over 265 million dollars. At present, it owes over 60 million dollars to farmers, particularly in Essequibo.
Amidst growing complaints by rice farmers over non-payments and delays of payments by millers for paddies supplied, there had been amendments to the Rice Factories Act which shortened the payment period and included interests.
Meanwhile, Ramsammy said that gauging from the rate of rice production for the first crop this year, the Ministry of Agriculture anticipates that this year’s production would exceed 400,000 tons of rice.
Even with only 88 percent of this year’s first crop recorded, production has already exceeded the level of production for the first crops for 2011 and 2010.
According to the Agriculture Minister, the 88 percent of rice recorded for 2012 totals 197,407 metric tons while the first crop for 2011 and 2010 were 207,638 metric tons and 168,796 metric tons respectively.
He noted that in spite of the challenges, such as flooding and increasing fertilizer prices, rice farmers are on target to exceed the 2011 record production.
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