Nand Persaud and Company is urging the Ministry of Agriculture to reconsider granting the approval for the aerial spraying of pesticides as it states that the rice that has been reaped so far is showing an unusually high percentage of damage.
“The damage by pests is no longer a matter of conjecture. Some rice farmers are now in the process of harvesting and while only 5% of the current crop has been harvested, there has been severe damage done to the paddy reaped,” the statement said. The damage stands at 7.7%, which is unusually high and while the majority of the currently crop is in the flowering stage, the continued reluctance of the Pesticides and Toxic Chemical Control Board (PTCCB) to grant approval for aerial spraying of pesticides will definitely sound the death knell of the rice industry, it said.
“It must be stated here that for farmers to get good prices for their paddy they need to get good grades,” the statement said, pointing out that an ‘A’ grade is 1% damage, while a ‘C’ grade is 3.5% and any paddy above 3.6% is regarded as substandard. “The current paddy reaped is already showing the average damage is 7.7% so the evidence is very clear and conclusive – if aerial spraying is not done then the Ministry of Agriculture and the PTCCB are answerable to the rice farmers and this nation,” the statement said. It said there is a need to reiterate that the rice farmers need to have a lower cost of production, an improved quality and an increase in their yields in order to be competitive and remain viable when prices are falling and markets dwindling.
“We call on the President to intervene in this matter so that ‘the rice pot’ of Guyana continues to be filled. Rice farmers are at the lowest point of endurance and can no longer tolerate the indifference of the Minister of Agriculture and the PTCCB which comes directly under his control and sphere of responsibility,” the statement concluded.
