The Alliance For Change (AFC) welcomes the renewal of the rice deal between Guyana and Venezuela and urges government to set aside an escrow sum to pay farmers promptly should millers fail to do so. In a press release, the group said the renewal of the contract to ship 120,000 tonnes of paddy to Venezuela “comes as great relief to our hardworking rice farmers and millers” particularly millers who have had to restrict intake of paddy during this current crop. The party noted that the uncertainty over the Venezuela market has played a part in the downward slide in paddy prices, the biggest impact being felt in Essequibo which resulted in courageous protest action by affected farmers. The AFC called on government to immediately cause a review of recent grading and pricing of paddy and to set aside an escrow sum from the intended sale to pay farmers promptly for their produce should the millers fail to do so after the required period.
While the party believes that other markets should be explored, it posits that government should consider importing quality pesticides and fertilisers for farmers so that they could benefit from a bumper crop to compensate for losses recently suffered.
The party also applauds Essequibo and West Demerara farmers for highlighting their plight and for exposing the “sell-out” of their interest by the Rice Producers Association and the Guyana Rice Development Board.
