Consultations, assistance needed before rice cultivation – farmers
Wales Estate conversion
By Shemuel Fanfair
With less than four months before the closure of sugar operations at Wales Estate, West Bank Demerara, cane farmers have expressed concern over a lack of consultations on the future of the entity. This comes in light of the surprise announcement by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) that it intends to convert some 485 acres of lands at Wales Estate into rice cultivation, another industry which has seen challenges with the collapsed guaranteed markets.
One farmer told Guyana Times that a combine can cost as much as $40 million
On Saturday, Guyana Times spoke with several farmers, some of who only found out about the conversion plans through the media. The farmers are of the view that Government through its relevant agencies should provide monetary and infrastructural expertise to assist them in the transition from sugarcane cultivation to rice. Previously, the farmers had stated an unwillingness to transfer their produce to Uitvlugt Estate, which is located on the West Coast of Demerara, citing cost factors, distance and infrastructural inadequacies on the route. When the shutdown was disclosed earlier this year; La Retraite, West Bank Demerara cane farmer Roger Caryll said he was making preparation to cultivate permanent crops such as mangoes and citrus. He however noted on Saturday that he must now drop these plans as the estate announced the supposed rice conversion. Caryll expressed scepticism over the entire transition, citing that even at this point, he was not engaged in any consultations.
“Up to now, dem an tell we nothing yet, they never come to we and sit down with we [and] dialogue… we want to see them,” the farmer noted, adding that from the consultations farmers can also offer meaningful recommendations on other diversified industries.
He appealed for Government’s assistance for farmers to embark on the new venture.
“If the Government come in and help we with finance [we can] go into the rice business… you got to plough down all them cane field, then you have to level, it’s a lot of work,” he noted.
Caryll added that the transition to rice requires heavy financial investment. He noted that since this crop is new to them, farmers would have to purchase seed paddy, water pumps, tires, a combine, and specified tires for the tractors.
Meanwhile, La Grange farmer Mohamed Khan, who has been into sugar cane cultivation for almost 40 years, signalled his intention to transition to rice cultivation. Khan however noted his fears over the change, pointing out that cane is more durable and weather-resistant that rice. He also stated that rice is a time sensitive crop and explained that rice farmers have been forced to cut their crops early due to the recent unsettling weather which has pounded rains on various parts of the coastland.
“You plant cane one time and it grow 15-20 years but rice has to be done on a regular basis… when you don’t cut [rice] in time, you incur losses… cane is much more feasible for us,” Khan noted.
The veteran farmer stated he will plant 20 acres next year but will be cautious on any expansion beyond that amount, given the reduced prices which farmers have been receiving. Since the collapse of the Venezuela rice deal, farmers are receiving between $1800-$2200 per bag of paddy. Several millers have citied financial difficulties as justifications for not paying balances owed to farmers.
These concerns have made one farmer so cautious about the move that he plans to assess the transition before opting to engage in rice cultivations. Cane farmer, Mootooveren told Guyana Times when sugar operations at Wales cease, he will sit out one year before he joins the industry. The farmer further vented his frustration over having invested some $7 million in the sugar industry, only to sell off or “scrap” many of his farming equipment.
“Wa de use? Nobody nah gone wan buy da,” Mootooveren stated, in reference to his trailers and other equipment.
The general consensus for farmers attached to the Wales Estate is that they cannot afford the cost factor to transport their canes to Uitvlugt. Many also expressed that farmers alone should not bear all of the investments to convert their lands for rice cultivation, in addition to bearing the brunt of purchasing all the requisite farming equipment. Some are also waiting to see if GuySuCo will assist with proving equipment for rice cultivation.
One farmer explained that a combine can run up to as much as $40 million, while a stakeholder stressed that lending agencies may be hesitant to assist farmers in rice cultivation due to the uncertainty of the sector. Meanwhile, residents of Wales have noted an upsurge in armed and unarmed robberies in the community, with many fearing that this will increase once the estate closes its doors.
Before the rice conversion announcement came, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder had expressed that the estate would be converted into dairy manufacturing.
