Herman Ramjit is just one of the many farmers who fell prey to the empty promise of being paid $9000 per bag of paddy, made when the APNU/AFC Coalition Administration was on the campaign trail.
The AFC component, which had significant support in traditional farming communities, was the main advocate of this promise.
Today a bag of paddy costs some $2600, and Ramjit, also an AFC member, is highly disappointed in the APNU/AFC Administration.
“I had so much confidence in these people them, with the sweet words they come and put forward to abbi. And when time come now, they can’t even come see what we doing. And me organise people to join the party,” he expressed. “Me had so much of confidence in our Prime Minister, Mr Moses Nagamootoo, with all them sweet promises he come and tell we; and when time come now, nothing at all! He nah even come visit abbi. He nah even come tell the people, ‘Thank you all fuh voting meh’. Never!”
This rice farmer is not only disappointed in the Government’s failure to keep its promises regarding the price of paddy, but is also disappointed over its implementation of draconian policies which are already hurting the agriculture sector.
Ramjit was among several other rice farmers who were protesting outside of the Ministry of the Presidency and the Agriculture Ministry on Monday. Their grouse is the increase in land rental rates imposed by the Mahaica/Mahaicony Abary/Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA) earlier this year.
Head of the Rice Producers Association, Dharamkumar Seeraj, has challenged the Government to rationalise why farmers should pay more for a service that is not improving.
“Overall, it’s a backward move by the Government to bring about these increases; bearing in mind (that) when farmers lose due to flood or due to drought, the Government don’t compensate them. Bearing in mind also (that Government hasn’t) done anything to improve the conditions of the lands,” he emphasised.
He also posited that a significant number of farmers were struggling to pay the previous fees, thus imposing higher rates would only cripple the agriculture sector.
Seeraj, a parliamentarian, also lamented the added burdens which are prevailing as a result of the 14 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on agricultural products.
“It is a backward move to tax agriculture, to tax your exports. If exports dry up and you get less, then foreign exchange dries up and then that has a spin-off to affect every single section of our economy. Once the rate of foreign exchange starts to move, then cost of living starts to go up,” he explained.
Seeraj also disclosed that a significant number of farmers were struggling to pay the previous fees, and he said imposing higher rates would only cripple the agriculture sector.
“The RPA has had a discussion with the Board of the MMA/ADA…and they said that, even at the previous rates, farmers were unable to pay it. That is why…the arrears of the MMA/ADA (are) somewhere in the vicinity of more than $4 million,” he posited.
Rice farmers have, for months, been protesting, and have pledged to continue so doing until Government heeds their cries.
Among the changes they find objectionable are the new ones for drainage and irrigation for lands located from Profit village to Rosignol village. Those rates have moved from $2500 per year to $8000 per year. This represents a $5500 increase on charges. And farm lands that fall within the MMA Rice Development Scheme will now cost farmers $7000 per year, whereas they used to pay $1241 less during last year.
Those who pay monthly for the lands will now have to fork out $666, whereas they used to pay $583 up until end of 2016.
Agriculture Minister Noel Holder has defended these increases by insisting that he does not want to create another “GuySuCo situation”, wherein taxpayers continue to subsidise the sugar company.
