Residents and farmers of Rivers-town on the Essequibo Coast now have full access to a new drying floor.
The drying floor was commissioned Friday last by Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha. The asphaltic structure cost $10,071,000 and was constructed by A. Bacchus Contracting and Trucking Services.
Mustapha said that the floor was constructed based upon requests made by farmers earlier in the year. Mustapha urged the farmers to make optimal use of the space to dry their paddy and said that once farmers make requests for those facilities to be constructed, the government through the Ministry of Agricul-ture will work diligently to fulfill them. He also hinted that the Government will be opening more agricultural lands and as such the usefulness of these facilities will be further enhanced. Mustapha advised the assembled rice farmers that the government does recognize the revenue potential of the industry for the country and as such his ministry is ensuring that all infrastructural investments will be finalised.