Rice exports to Venezuela will not be affected by the unrest in that country and will resume shortly, since a memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed last week between the two governments and logistical arrangements are being put in place.
A release from the Ministry of Agriculture on Tuesday said that Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy made the disclosure.
He said that the MOA was signed by La Casa (on behalf of the Venezuelan Government) and Guyana’s Ambassador to Venezuela, Geoff Da Silva.
Ramsammy said, “We have made progress in completing arrangements for shipment of rice to begin.
There are three stages in terms of the annual shipment of rice to Venezuela. At the end of every year, we have to have a period of reconciliation in order for Venezuela to issue payment to the Ministry of Finance.”
He said that in the past, the reconciliation process critical to the Guyana/ Venezuela rice deal had taken several months to be completed; however this year this had been completed in less time and shipments are now closer to recommencing.
The agriculture minister said that in 2013, 110,000 tonnes of white rice and 88,000 tonnes of paddy were shipped to Venezuela.
However, this new agreement will have a change of quantities of paddy versus white rice to be shipped. An announcement will be made once the purchase order and shipping schedule are finalised.
