Black Bush Polder farmers feeling brunt of COVID-19 economic impact

…as community takes precautionary measures

By Andrew Carmichael

The impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has far-reaching consequences and though the farming community of Black Bush Polder in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) is yet to record a positive COVID-19 case, the residents there are feeling the economic impact of the disease.

One of the major precautionary measures in the fight against COVID-19 is physical distancing. With the curfew measures in place, and markets operating within stipulated periods and persons out of employment, spending is down. This means that producers are affected since they now have a surplus with very little market.

That is the exact situation in the Black Bush Polder area. The residents there, who mostly do large-scale farming, explained that buyers are offering ‘next to nothing’ for the produce. They are forced to accept that or have their vegetables spoil.
Lillawattie Harricharran, a farmer, said that though she is taking precautionary measures to protect herself and those around her from COVID-19, she needs to go out and earn as well. She, too, like many of the cash crop farmers, complained of wholesalers offering reduced prices for their produce.

“You have to work and if you do not work you would get nothing. You not getting the price because nobody going to the market to sell. But still, you got to do something to survive,” she explained.
Although the capital city, Georgetown, is the epicentre of the virus, the residents in Black Bush have been extra careful since the discovery of the first case. Many of them have not left the community unless it is absolutely necessary for them to do so.

Beanawattie Geena, a housewife of Mibicuri, noted that while no one in the four polders has tested positive with the novel coronavirus, they are taking all precautions and utilising the local shops as much as possible.
Normally, persons from Lesbe-holden, Mibucuri and Johanna would do their main purchasing in the town of Rose Hall while those who live at Yakusari would go to the town of Corriverton. But these days, that activity has been reduced significantly, instead, the residents now turn to the community grocery shops for their supplies.
As rough as it is, the elderly are being taken advantage of due to their perceived lack of abilities.
56-year-old Savitri Seepaul told this publication that she has to take care of her ailing husband and because of COVID-19, she cannot go out and earn as she would have. For the past two months, Seepaul has been unable to sell her cherries at the Port Mourant Market, she is now forced to make juice with it for her personal consumption so that it does not rot.
Her ailing husband is trying to assist by rearing a few chickens but persons have been stealing them – making life harder for the elderly couple.
Meanwhile, Lincoln Duncan of Zambia, Mibicuri South, is urging persons in that community to try to follow the guidelines as best as they can, especially since the main economic activities in the community are rice cultivation and livestock rearing.
“So, going out and moving away from your home is a must because you have your stock to carry out and to bring in and now is rice cultivation even though it almost come to an end but then you still have to harvest your crop.  So, that will make it necessary for you to go out and to be in close proximity to people which normally you would not do, but it is a must because when you take your paddy to the mill or your produce to the mill you would find a lot of people gathered,” he said.
However, he noted that residents have been taking precautions like washing of hands, sanitising and trying to keep social distance as best as possible.
There have been no known cases of the novel coronavirus in the Black Bush Polder.
Duncan said residents of the agricultural community might not use a face mask when in their own community but when they have to use public transportation or to leave the community, they do.
“Then is when we consider it necessary but at all times, we always walk with our face mask and sanitiser.”