Region 2 rice farmers still owed

TIMES INT'L

By Indrawattie Natram

Several rice farmers living in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) are still owed millions of dollars by millers for paddy sold two crops ago.

This was disclosed by People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Councillor Showkat Ail at the statutory meeting of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of that Region on Tuesday.

Ali told his fellow Councillors that farmers were highly indebted but still owed by millers.

The Councillor divulged that owing to farmers having loans from commercial banks, they have no other choice but to cultivate their lands despite the various challenges they faced in the industry.

Ali asked his colleague Naithram, a member of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), to shed some light on the issue and questioned what the Board, which was mandated by the Government to represent rice farmers, was doing for them.

The A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Councillor responded that he could not disclose such information, as he had signed a “confidential” document not to reveal issues discussed at Board meetings. Following that declaration, Councillor Ali questioned Naithram about the “secret” in the rice industry and why he was hiding information from the Council.

According to Ali, rice farmers are presently faced with dry weather conditions and if they do not pump water, they will lose their entire crop and hence their livelihood will be affected.

On that point, RDC Chairman Devanand Ramdatt said that currently the rice industry was in crisis and it was sad to know that rice farmers were still owed. He suggested that subsidies be offered on fuel, fertiliser and pesticides to rice farmers to assist the industry.

Meanwhile, Guyana Times International contacted one of the millers who owe rice farmers, who indicated that farmers would be paid within two weeks. The miller, who did not wish to be named, said that he was forced to purchase in excess of 521,000 bags of paddy and there were no proper export markets for the commodity. He said that rice farmers would be paid before the new crop and he was at the moment seeking new markets in other countries to sell the excess rice.

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