Woe for E’bo rice industry as flood water destroys seedlings.

Dec 18, 2019 News

As flood water continues to recede from various communities along the Essequibo Coast, residents have begun to count their losses.

“A farmer pumps water from his field in an effort to save his seedlings”

Amongst those affected were the local rice farmers, many of whom lost their seedlings to the disaster.
This publication spoke to a number of farmers yesterday, many of whom were devastated following their loss.
Barrath Narine, who usually farms in the Lima Estate, within the Anna Regina Township, said that he had been planting almost his entire life. The farmer explained that there are a number of illegal structures positioned in the drainage trenches, which were constructed by farmers.
Narine pointed out that often times, these structures prevent the free flow of water from the backlands, which eventually results in flooding.
A firsthand look at one of these structures showed that it was outfitted with a small tube. The affected farmer explained that the small tube is incapable of draining the huge volume of flood water at a fast rate.
The farmer said that he sowed his seedlings some two weeks ago. He added that the floodwater has already covered and damaged quite a number of them.
The farmer added, “This rice shied two weeks now but it completely cover. The slime already gone pon the rice and it start wither already… I usually done shy all 70 acres and right now all deh under water. This investment so far is about $3M, and if this water can’t draw off fast enough, all will go down the drain.”
This publication understands that various complaints were made to the Regional Executive Officer of Region Two, Denis Jaikaran. Farmers who plant within the Lima Estate said that they were promised the illegal structure will be dug on since last Friday, but to date nothing has been done.
One farmer said, “I went to the REO since last crop and he said that he coming to see this thing. He said he gon dig out this stop off. Up to now me na see nothing do about this stop off.
Over the past year, the local rice industry on the Essequibo Coast, appears to have been staggering towards resuscitation.
In late 2018, the Industry suffered a major blow when farmers resorted to burning thousands of acres of their crops affected by blast. Earlier this year, the industry was affected, again, when seedlings failed to germinate.

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