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Govt. still to provide solution to rice price woes
(Kaieteur News) – Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha has reaffirmed the government’s support for rice farmers, but is still yet to provide a concrete solution to the pricing distresses currently faced.
Back in September, rice farmers in Essequibo held a massive protest in Anna Regina over the prices being offered for the paddy, along with the huge amounts that have been left to spoil on their hands.
Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha
In October, Kaieteur News reached spoke with rice farmers in Mahaicony, who relayed that they were pressing ahead with their harvests, even as they await the long promised talks with government officials over the crisis level prices being offered by millers for this crop.
Farmer Roopnarine Etwaroo told this publication that despite multiple appeals, there has been no direct engagement with government representatives.
“We’re still waiting on that appointment to meet with the minister,” Etwaroo said. “Our farmers are harvesting, yes — but at $2,800 a bag, it’s below the break-even point. We simply can’t sustain this.”
Farmers said the current price represents a sharp fall from the $4,000 per bag earned last crop, even after factoring in the government’s previous subsidy. Many warned that if the situation continues, small rice farmers could go under.
Despite all of these concerns in a statement via his Ministry’s Facebook page on Saturday, the minister assured farmers that the government will support them to ensure the sustainability of the industry.
“Speaking during a meeting with rice farmers along the Essequibo Coast on Saturday, Minister Mustapha highlighted the significant progress being made in rice production under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration,” the statement said.
Mustapha, acknowledging that there are global challenges affecting rice, told farmers that an influx from major producers, is what led to a dip in international prices. However, he disclosed that he has been having engagements with millers to secure a better price for paddy.
“Minister Mustapha announced that the government will soon commence construction of a $2 billion modern drying and storage facility at Onderneeming on the Essequibo Coast. The facility, he noted, will have the capacity to accommodate a significant amount of paddy, and will significantly reduce post-harvest losses while improving quality control and price competitiveness,” the statement added.
On October 13 former finance minister, Winston said it was the government’s duty to advise rice farmers on alternative sources of income.
While he acknowledged that there are concessions given to the farmers, he reasoned that these are just sweeteners and reiterated that the government has currently done all it could in this regard.
Jordan said there was nothing wrong with the government’s overall objective of increasing food production, but there should be a mapped-out strategy on how much it should be increased by and how the increase will be dealt with.
He explained that it should be made certain that the demand for whatever is being produced is proportionate, as farmers could not be “out here stretching their necks out to produce rice and there is no way of selling it.”
While farmers should be encouraged to increase productivity and should have the necessary experts advising them on fertiliser and how to avoid certain mistakes, so they can continue to make a profit and sustain themselves.
Highlighting all the concessions being given Jordan said, “…notwithstanding the concessions that you might be given to the industry, it is the duty of the government to advise the farmer of coming out of that crop and planting something else that will supplement the income that he was getting or replace the income that he was getting.”
Even if the new crop being pursued will not provide the lost income from rice, farmers can be encouraged to take additional jobs, whether it is in agriculture or in other expanding areas of the economy, he advised.
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