E’bo rice farmers appealing for higher paddy prices

Mar 02, 2018 News

The meeting yesterday at the RDC boardroom

Rice farmers on the Essequibo Coast are once again appealing for an increase in the price being paid per bag of paddy. This plea was yesterday made when farmers met with representatives from the Guyana Rice Development Board [GRDB], during a farmers/miller association meeting.
Rice can be described as the core of the agro industry in Region Two [Pomeroon/Supenaam]. It is the main economic activity within the region. This industry made a drastic recovery late last year when significant exports were shipped to Mexico and Cuba. Farmers on the other hand, now want their share of the benefits, primarily an increase in the price paid per bag of paddy.
Kaieteur News understands that farmers in Region Two are currently being paid $2,800 per bag of paddy graded at level ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’. This is already a significant increase as compared to just $2000 during 2015, when Guyana lost the Venezuelan Market. Yesterday, however, rice farmers appealed to a rice miller that they be paid $3000 per bag of paddy. This request comes primarily as the rice harvest in Region Two is just days away.
The miller noted that while he is more than willing to pay $3000 per bag of paddy, there is a heavy cost attached to freight. The miller, who happens to own one of the largest rice mills on the Essequibo Coast, said that the ferry toll per bag of paddy is $300 per ton.
The miller added, “Our freight from Essequibo to Georgetown is a problem because we have to pay both a ferry toll, and a toll at the Demerara Harbor Bridge. A couple of days ago our group shipped from Georgetown 20,000 tons of rice, and that never happened…Our problem here is that we can’t even carry a 1,000 tons from Essequibo via vessel.”
He further explained that the Essequibo River would require some amount of dredging, so that the company can move ahead in loading containers from right in Essequibo. The miller further reiterated that before famers can enjoy an increase in paddy price, vessels need to start docking in Essequibo in an effort to cut transportation cost.
Kaieteur News was told that before docking can commence in Region Two, permission must first be sought from the Transport and Harbor Department and the Maritime Administration. Representatives from GRDB, who included Essequibo’s branch manager, Devindranauth Singh, assured farmers that the river dredging would be pursued by the Board. [Romario Blair.]

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