Rice harvesting has continued in full swing on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD), despite farmers facing challenges such as the price for diesel and the poor condition of dams.
According to them, even though the government has removed the excise tax from fuel they are feeling the pressure again.
The farmers lamented too that the price for other commodities as well as the production costs have increased but the price for paddy has not risen.
During a visit to the fields at Ruimzigt/Windsor Forest backlands, Chaitram, a large-scale farmer, told Stabroek News (SN): “Right now the expense high. Fuel price gone up, drugs everything gone up, fertilizer gone up and everything come out of farmers’ pocket. If you get the amount of bearing, you barely cover the expense. It rough, rough right now. Rice farmers a really find it hard right now…”
He said too that “…Everything raise all over the world, but rice (price) drop. That’s the only thing drop in the world, rice… so farmers be the loser.”
Chaitram, his son and seven workers were busy in the fields with his two combines and two tractors, as they tried to take advantage of the ‘dry day.’
Rain had prevented them from harvesting for a few days and the dams and fields were still not sufficiently dry.
It was already late in the evening and SN observed one of combines and a tractor becoming stuck on the muddy dams and the other workers having to leave off the work to pull them out with another tractor.
According to Chaitram, who cultivates 160 acres of land, the all-weather road has huge potholes while the mud dams are “extra bad” and are badly in need of repairs.
“They (government) don’t have proper machine to look after the road. Right now two of the machines break down,” he lamented.
He takes his paddy to Hakh Rice Milling Complex. The highest price the farmers get paid for the extra ‘A’ grade, is $4000 per bag, $200 more than what was received during the last crop.
The price for ‘A’ grade is $3800 and $100 less for every lower grade.
Chaitram has been in the rice farming business for the past 30 years after inheriting the business from his family.
So far the rain has not been a threat to his crop and he still has hopes of reaping all of his paddy.
This newspaper caught up with another rice farmer, Khemraj ‘Kevin’ Deen at his nine-acre field, which is located by the roadside at Rotterdam, WCD.
He and a worker were waiting on the road with two tractors with trailers to transport the paddy to the Hakh Rice Milling Complex in the neighbouring village of Harlem.
His younger brother, Omraj ‘Kiron’ Deen was in the field harvesting the paddy with his combine, which he discharged to the trailers.
Khemraj too has been in the rice business for about 30 years. He also owns rice plots at two other locations nearby.
Farmers receive his payment from the mill about six weeks after delivery.
