Issue between East Canje rice & cattle farmers continues to escalate in Berbice

Rice farmers in East Canje, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), are calling on the authorities to put in place systems that would enable them to impound cattle that have been feasting in their rice fields. The pound at the Police station is not operable.
About 35 farmers cultivate a total of approximately 2000 acres of rice, but the prevalence of cattle-rearing in the area has made growing rice a nightmare for most of them. These rice farmers say there are about 400 head of cattle in the area, and none of the owners lives there. The cattle, they say, are owned by about seven different persons, and these animals roam the villages between Zorg and Bachelors Adventure.
What was once considered privately owned pasture land has all been taken up by rice cultivation, but rice farmers told this publication that they cannot take animals to the Reliance Police Station pound, because that facility is not functioning.
Pradeshram Beharry has 332 acres under cultivation in four villages, and according to him, rice farmers have tried to engage the animal owners, but to no avail.

“The expense that we go through to grow a crop…and for animals to destroy us, it is wasting of time. We are pumping water day and night for our rice, spraying for caterpillar, and buying fertilizer and (undertaking) all the other expenses, and the animals coming and destroy us. Right(now), there are about 75 head of cows in my place right now,” he lamented.
Another rice farmer, Heman Kanhai, who has 58 acres at St John, in referring to the cattle as stray animals, has said the cattle are in the rice fields during the day and also at nights.
According to some of these East Canje rice farmers, available pounds are at the Sisters Village Police Station, some ten miles away, and at the Albion Police Station, about 13 miles away.
One animal was seen at the Reliance Police Station with a rope tightly drawn around its neck, thereby suffocating the animal.
Kanhai said he has met with senior Police officials in the region in an effort to address the issue of impounding stray animals in the East Canje area.
“The first day I go, I met with the Deputy Commander, and he sent me to Albion Station to check out Albion pound. I saw the pound is fine; there is nothing wrong with the pound. He told me that he was going to go and certify it and get back to me, and until now I haven’t heard from him. That was two weeks ago,” Kanhai revealed.
Pradeshram Beharry has said he would like the Agriculture Minister to intervene.
The conflict between rice and cattle farmers is an age-old one in Region Six. Many systems have been put in place to address the issue, but those all result in other issues arising. (G4)