Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud on Wednesday commissioned a $14m drying floor at Burma, the sixth of 12 to be built to boost the rice sector.
Five other drying floors have already been commissioned at Crane, Region Three; Bath Settlement, Region Five; Bengal and Crabwood Creek, Region Six and Walton Hall, Essequibo, Region Two. The Burma facility was facilitated by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) and the Rice Producers’ Association (RPA) and will benefit about 20 rice farmers, a press release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said.
During the exercise farmers were given the opportunity to interact with technical officials from the ministry. Persaud also advised them to be vigilant to help ensure projects are implemented according to the required specifications. He also said despite the El Nino weather conditions, rice production for the first crop was higher than last year’s first crop and he noted that the drying facility is part of government’s ongoing assistance to cushion the rice industry.
“I am very happy to be in this rice farming community which oftentimes stands out as being very vulnerable to the unpredictable weather pattern that our country has been experiencing and would be experiencing with great intensity given the effects of climate change,” he said. Persaud also commended farmers for their efforts; saying they have demonstrated a level of resilience and cooperation in the best interest of the country.
Rice production has increased from 160,000 tonnes to the projected 172,000 tonnes for the first crop after government provided assistance. The minister said too it showed farmers’ resilience in dealing with adversity.
“You never give up and in many instances we see growth and progress and we certainly see attitude to develop and to move forward and that is why we want to support you and give you an additional input and encouragement to support your forward movement and desire to succeed,” Persaud said.
Persaud said in 2009 when the prices fluctuated assistance was provided to farmers in the forms of vouchers and fertilizers.
The drying facility is one of the long-term investments made in the area. The minister also called for investment from farmers, exporters and millers. “Everyone should look at ways in which the sector can be further boosted since we are dealing with an unpredictable market environment for rice and rice related products.”
Meanwhile, RPA General Secretary Dharamkumar Seeraj said drying and storing are critical to enhancing quality seed paddy. “A lot of millers we spoke to have indicated that their biggest difficulty had to do with drying capacity…mills that were constructed in the past had emphasis for milling capacity as against drying and storing, so what you have happening is that in most cases mills are operable for two months in every season which is four months per year while there is a limitation of storage,” he said. Seeraj also encouraged farmers to make adjustments and to prepare themselves for the challenges ahead as government has no control over market prices. However, he also said the GRDB and the RPA have been constantly looking at more viable markets to ensure that farmers’ livelihoods are safeguarded.
