Government’s intervention to help bring relief to consumers in the face of the increased price for rice on the local market kicked into gear Monday with the commodity being available at $325 per gallon at three locations in the city.
The initiative is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and follows this newspaper’s reports that the price of the commodity had shot up in recent months. Prices on the market ranged from $480 to $700 per gallon.
“Through the direct intervention of Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud, arrangements were made for millers and exporters to make available to the ministry agreed quantities of rice to be retailed on the local market,” GINA said in a release.
Depots have been set up to facilitate the retail process at the New Guyana Marketing Corporation, Robb and Alexander streets; the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Cowan Street, Kingston; and the Guyana Rice Project Management Unit, 18 Brickdam.
The exercise will continue throughout the week and is being considered for implementation in other areas such as Berbice, Essequibo and Linden. Only white rice was available on Monday but other varieties were to be made available shortly.
The minister pointed out that it was not a shortage of rice, but rather a distribution issue that had to be addressed. “The ministry’s intervention is intended to balance the distribution of rice locally while discussions are continuing with millers and shortly the price for rice at the various locations will be advertised,” the release said.
According to the release, the minister said that the export of rice has not been halted as shipments are currently being sent to Jamaica and other markets.
“The GRDB is monitoring such activities to ensure that exports do not affect the local supply,” the release said.
Rice harvesting for the first crop of this year is expected to start in Essequibo on Wednesday and then it will be undertaken in other rice-growing areas, resulting in additional supplies of rice being made available for local consumption and export, the release added.
