The Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) is urging rice farmers to comply with pesticide limits.
In a release yesterday via the Department of Public Information, the GRDB advised farmers that while taking steps to protect their rice crop, they must at the same time endeavour to protect their European market by complying with the Maximum Residue Limits (MRL) for various pesticides at different levels set by the European Union (EU).
It reminded rice farmers that the EU is Guyana’s largest export market, with 48 per cent and 46 per cent of Guyana’s rice being sold to the EU in 2021 and 2022 respectively.
The GRDB in an advisory noted that one of the major challenges to the rice industry in Guyana is the damage caused by insects, especially the Oebalus poecilus (Dallas) commonly known as ‘paddy bug’ or ‘stink bug’.
According to the Board, farmers utilise the spraying of insecticides for the control of these pests which can result in pesticide residue remaining in the rice grains; however, if present in air, soil and water, it can pose a serious threat to biological diversity and human health.
And in recognition of the threat posed, the GRDB is advising farmers to “strictly” adhere to the guidelines and implement the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programme. They must only apply recommended pesticides as set out in the guidelines provided for the management of the ‘paddy bug’ or ‘stink bug’.
The Board has listed the following IPM approach for paddy bug control. Farmers must ensure good land leveling, sow within the recommended sowing period (November 15 to December 30 or May 15 to June 30), sow at the same time as your neighbour or within 2 weeks (block planting), ensure effective control of early season pests, use the recommended fertiliser and water management regime, keep dams free from alternate hosts, monitor on alternate days from 30 days up to flowering, kill invading adults as they come and destroy egg masses, and spray fields based on the threshold of 1 bug in every 2 sweeps and/or spray rice fields when the number of bugs is increasing over 2 to 3 days.
