Rice harvesting stalled in Region 6 due to deplorable dams - Regional Chairman

Rice harvesting stalled in Region 6 due to deplorable dams – Regional Chairman

Apr 20, 2022 News

Region 6 has already harvested 60 percent of its rice for this year.

By Malisa Playter-Harry

Kaieteur News – At a recent statutory meeting, Regional Chairman David Armogan revealed that, thus far, 60 percent of the 63,000 acres of rice planted in Region Six have been harvested and efforts are being made to repair some deplorable dams to harvest the remaining 40 percent.
Rice farmers began planting in around November-December of last year with harvesting commencing in March. Prior to that, harvesting for the previous crop was done in October-November of last year but would have commenced earlier if it was not for the heavy flooding experienced mid last year.
Additionally, Armogan mentioned that the Ministry of Agriculture has provided $39M to execute works on the dams within the rice cultivating areas such as in Black Bush Polder that are in a deplorable condition, with additional funding being sought, from the region to commence further works.
The request for additional funds, he said, was as a result of the recent rainy period (just over two weeks ago) that caused the dams to be in “very bad state.” Deplorable dams have been an issue for farmers since it is difficult for them to access their farms lands as they would need to.
This, he said, is expected to be done soon so that the remaining 40 percent can be harvested from the field “because with the conditions of the dams, it is becoming very difficult for these farmers to operate.”
As it relates to the yield per acre, Armogan pointed out that it is greater this time around with 41 bags per acre as compared to 30 odd bags in the previous crops. With the noted decrease in price, he said that if productivity improves, it ultimately means that, “you might be able to pick up the short falls in funds with a better yield. If the productivity is high, it means therefore, that you will be able to compensate them a little bit, but might not be full compensation…”
According to Armogan, the reduction in price is a global phenomenon and is not only confined to Guyana resulting in rice millers reducing the price paid for paddy from the farmers.

Region 6 Regional Chairman, David Armogan

Internationally, he said, “there is somewhat of a brunt in the world market for grains. As a result of that, the prices have gone down a little bit because Vietnam, etc., have gone back into high levels of production, so the world market price has dropped a little bit. It is likely to go back up again soon…the prices all over have started to rise again so hopefully the price of rice and paddy will go up again shortly”, he reasoned.
Just recently, rice farmers protested a decision by rice millers to reduce the price of paddy per tonne, a change, they insist, is “unacceptable” at this time, given the high cost of production for the paddy. The rice farmers, to register their displeasure, converged at Lesbeholden, Johanna and Mibicuri, Black Bush Polder with their placards and used their vehicles and agriculture machinery to block the road thus preventing the free flow of traffic for hours.
The price of paddy paid by millers per tonnage was dropped from $70,000 to $65,000 but rice farmers are saying that the cost of production for paddy is extremely high and, as such, a compromise cannot be met at this time to accept $65,000. However, the price was further dropped to $60,000 and the Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha had intervened by engaging rice millers to increase the price and promised that his ministry would implement several measures which included the reduction of the export commission for millers from US$8 to US$6. Added to that, the scanning fee was also slashed by 50 percent.
Meanwhile, Armogan said he has noted comments made by persons on local television programmes about the drying of paddy on the roadways but he has lamented that because of the adverse weather conditions that were experienced as of recent, “sometimes, we have to be able to flex with the law, sometimes it might not be convenient for these farmers to go anywhere else but to utilise the little dry weather to dry the paddy on the roadside. Sometimes, we must have some level of tolerance because remember this is an agricultural region and many people will say it is unlawful. I agree but in circumstances, we have to flex,” he said.
Some $20M has been budgeted for the procurement of a seed drying facility in Black Bush Polder and over 600 rice farmers are expected to benefit once it is utilised. In this year’s budget, the rice industry was projected to grow by 25.1 percent and the earnings of rice is expected to be US$288.6M this year.
According to the Regional Chairman, there was a paddy bug infestation on the East Bank Berbice but that infestation did not affect the rice crop in a significant way. He stated too that in the areas of Auchlyne, Letterkenny and Borlam, canals will be cleared and dams will be done to facilitate farmers.
In terms of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), Armogan noted that there have been a number of reports in the region of bee infestation. Just recently, a mother and her children were stung by bees and had to be hospitalised but luckily the family has since been released and are home safely.
In acknowledging that bees “are pretty dangerous,” the Chairman encouraged Berbicians to remove old tyres, old machineries, containers and clear unwanted vegetation from properties that can be a haven for the bees.
Persons can contact Dennis Deoroop who works directly with GLDA on 640-6396 to have a crew in the region to respond quickly to reports of bee infestations or attacks.