Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has announced that a total of $275 million worth of fertilizer will be allocated to farmers in Region Two.
Jagdeo made the announcement on Wednesday while speaking to rice farmers at a meeting at Anna Regina.
He explained that a group of 20 persons will be selected in the region to procure and distribute the fertilizer, with $250 million to cover fertilizer for rice farmers and an additional $25 million to cover the purchase for cash crop farmers in the region.
After the announcement one rice farmer voiced concern that the announced procurement process would lead to corruption and as a result suggested that the government supervise the process through the Guyana Rice Development Board and the Rice Producers’ Association.
However, in response Jagdeo said the farmers need to trust the group that will be selected. He further told the farmers that the group selected to undertake the procurement and distribution will be drawn from various Neighbourhood Democratic Councils. He also suggested that persons from the Water Users’ Association (WUA) be a part of the group.
“You will get the $250 million to buy the fertilizer where you find the cheapest and you decide how much will go and which group of farmers will get more and which will get less…so that is why I am here today so you can select 20 persons from your end to work with us with this,” he said.
He also said once the group is formed then the money will be available and farmers will start receiving the fertilizer within weeks.
President Irfaan Ali recently announced that a total of $1 billion in fertilizer would be distributed free of cost to rice farmers to cushion the impact of the cost of living on Guyanese.
“In order to cushion the impact of the rising cost of fertilizer on farmers and to limit the pass through to food prices, my government will be purchasing $1 billion worth of fertilizer for free distribution to farmers to use in their planting and replanting activities. Considering that fertilizers … will significantly reduce input cost and help ensure scaled up production and adequate supply of output which is critical to maintain price stability,” he said.
Ali had noted that the prices for fertilizer on the world market rose by 80% in 2021 and have already risen by a further 30% since the start of 2022.
Meanwhile, following Jagdeo’s announcement Vice President of newly formed farmers Essequibo Rice Farmers Development Committee Tabindra Ramcharran said that he was happy that farmers themselves would be able to participate in the process. He pledged that the newly formed organisation would work along with rice farmers in the distribution process.
Ramcharran welcomed the government’s help, particularly at a time when, he said, rice farmers are struggling.
