$50M seed paddy facility unused for 13 years now needs $25M to become operable

Oct 05, 2021 News

A section of the inside of the GRDB seed paddy facility

Kaieteur News – During the tenure of former Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) had used $50M from the national purse to construct a seed paddy facility in Lesbeholden, Black Bush Polder, Region Six. Following its successful construction, the facility was commissioned in 2008. It was outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment to double rice production by 2025.

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha

Thirteen years later however, the PPP’s new Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, discovered that the facility never achieved its purpose as it was never used. The Minister made this startling discovery during a visit to the facility back in April. During the visit, Minister Mustapha expressed disappointment in the fact, that millions of dollars were invested to ensure the facility was outfitted with modern equipment, yet it was left to deteriorate. Since that visit, Mustapha has committed $25M towards getting the structure upgraded and operable.

Former Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud

While speaking with members of the media during a tour of the facility on Saturday, Minister Mustapha said that within another two months, the facility should be in operation. “We’ll have more capacity in the GRDB to produce seeds. Now we are seeing a lot of interest being expressed by Suriname for the supply of seed paddy. During the recent visit by Suriname’s President, Chan Santokhi and his high level delegation, “a request was made for us to provide almost 130,000 tonnes of seed paddy,” expressed the Minister.
He added, “At the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary – Agricultural Development Authority (MMA-ADA) Scheme, too, we’ve brought a second seed facility into operation so that we can improve the capacity…”
In light of the foregoing efforts, Minister Mustapha is of the firm conviction that Guyana’s seed paddy production will improve, and will allow the country to meet the recent requests by its CARICOM sister, Suriname.
Minister Mustapha said too, that it is important for the facility to become operable since there is now a high demand for quality seed paddy from farmers.

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