AGRICULTURE Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has said it is very likely that Guyana’s rice industry will exceed a 500,000 tonnes production this year.

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Dr Leslie Ramsammy, Minister of Agriculture

WELL UNDERWAY Dr Ramsammy said the second crop for 2013 is well underway and, so far, 92 percent of the land to be cultivated has been sown, meaning 76,000 hectares out of the targeted 81,000 hectares. “If we have the same results as in the first crop, and there is every indication that the second crop will be at least as successful as the first crop, then we expect that Guyana could exceed a production of 500,000 tonnes which will be a remarkable achievement for the industry,” he said. Last year, a total of 422,058 tonnes of rice was produced in Guyana, the highest ever in the history of the country. Meanwhile, Ramsammy also stated that rice shipments to Venezuela are on track. For the first crop, approximately 55,000 tonnes of white rice and between 40,000 and 45,000 tonnes of paddy are expected to be shipped to that country. He advised that about 35,000 tonnes of rice and 18,000 tonnes of paddy have been exported to Venezuela, up to now. “We are just about 50 percent of the shipment to Venezuela. Usually, in the first crop, the shipment continues until the end of August and then there is a pause for the second crop, shipments from which begin around November and continues through January,” Dr Ramsammy elaborated.

GUYANA ABLE TO DELIVER He said, despite the delay in the signing of the 2013 contract between Guyana and Venezuela, this country’s largest rice importer, Guyana is now able to deliver in accordance with that deal. Affixing signatures to the agreement between the two South American countries was delayed due to the sudden death of Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez. However, the documentation was, eventually, signed in May, this year, stipulating that Guyana will export 110,000 tonnes of white rice and 81,000 tonnes of paddy to Venezuela in 2013. Ramsammy also disclosed that Guyana is, currently, looking for importers of its locally produced aromatic rice, since the amount of production exceeds local demand for it, although cheaper than the imported one. However, he said Trinidad and other Caribbean countries are also potential importers of the unique species of rice that was produced for the first time last year in a small quantity, with only one farmer planting about 60 acres of it. But, during the first crop of this year, 25 farmers throughout Regions 2 to 6 produced the special brand, which has been labelled ‘Bengal Aromatic Rice’ and is being marketed by Rambrich Enterprise Ramsammy and the Trinidad and Tobago Minister of State in the Food Production Ministry, Mr. Jairam Seemungal had discussions, earlier this year, when the latter visited Guyana, on the possibilities of the country importing this country’s aromatic rice Ramsammy has since stated that the countries are in discussion on the matter and it is very likely that Trinidad will become the first importer of the rice