With Region Two’s rice farmers clamouring for higher prices for their paddy, Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha on Thursday told them that millers have agreed to pay them $3,700 per bag of A Grade paddy—$200 more than what they were previously being paid.
Speaking to farmers in the auditorium of the Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary School, Mustapha said that in addition to the $200 increase, millers agreed that they will charge $100 less to reap their harvest with the harvesters.
He also told them that farmers that supplied paddy earlier in the crop will receive retroactive payments from millers.
Farmers staged peaceful protests over the previous two days and had called for $5,000 per bag of paddy.
Against this background, Mustapha stressed to them that the Government of Guyana through his ministry was doing everything possible to represent rice farmers.
“Let me be frank: You raise the price issue. We tried to address [it]. This is what we are doing from our side,” he said.
During their protest, the farmers had related their struggles due to the current cost of living. At the beginning of the crop millers were offering $3500 for a bag of paddy, a reduction of $500 compared to the previous crops.
Rice farmers are offered $53,900 per tonne of paddy in Essequibo.
When asked if they were satisfied with the increase of price, rice farmers replied in the negative. They also pointed out that the increase is just for “Grade A” paddy, which they seldom harvest.
“Well the ministry tried but we nah get Grade A so we will still end up getting $3,400 and this not fair. Why Berbice farmers getting more than Essequibo?” a rice farmer questioned, alluding to the $65,000 per tonne rate that Mustapha delivered to farmers in Berbice last weekend.
A profitable price, they said, would be $5,000 per bag. Many of them related that they owe the commercial banks for loans they took and the banks are attempting to seize their collateral.
Relating their struggles, they also explained rice cultivation is their only source of income, with some of them planting rice for over 20 years.
“We don’t want this to become political. All we are asking [is for] the minister to talk to the millers, let them offer a better price. Those who planting rice would know that $3,500 cannot pay. It’s best you just left the rice to fall,” a farmer explained.
Farmers have explained the cost of living in the country is currently high and with the current price offered for paddy they cannot sustain the livelihoods of their families. They also said the price for fertiliser has increased during the current crop, making operations even more difficult for them.
Dams
Compounding their woes, the farmers said, is the deplorable condition of dams leading to rice lands. The region is currently experiencing sporadic rainfall and with the harvesting period in full swing, the conditions of the dams have worsened.
Mustapha reported that $30 million was released from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) and the Water Users’ Association to help rehabilitate the dams. He had also ordered the 4200 rods of dams be prepared to assist rice farmers.
“They said the NDIA and WUA doing the dams. Why is it they waited till rice started to cut to do it? Why they didn’t plan and do it before the harvesting commence and the rainy weather step in?” a farmer questioned.
