Rice cultivation thrives despite floods; new lands developed – Region 6 Chair

Despite recent flooding in some area communities in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Regional Chairman David Armogan has said that rice cultivation has remained largely unaffected.
Armogan, who was at the time addressing the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), at its recent statutory meeting pointed out that there is an expansion of rice cultivation in the region.

Additionally, in providing an update on rice cultivation within the region he noted that new lands are now under rice cultivation on the East Bank of Berbice.
The recent floods he assured did not affect rice cultivation.
“It has affected to some extent the cash crops but not so much the rice crop. The good news is that the Government of Guyana through the President had allocated a few machines to the East Bank of Berbice to clear lands that were idle over the last ten to fifteen years. So, almost 15,000 acres of new lands are now under rice cultivation in the East Bank of Berbice area. That would take us to 66,000 acers of land under rice cultivation in the region,” the chairman told the RDC.
He also informed the RDC that the government through the Agriculture Ministry will be building 100 shade houses for female farmers in the Crabwood Creek area for them to cultivate pepper.
“There is a big market for pepper in the Caribbean and so the President wants those farmers in the Crabwood Creek area to focus a lot on pepper. There is also a processing plant in Black Bush Polder and they are not getting enough peppers to run their factory because the farmers in Black Bush focus on rice and a little bit of cash crop.”
Shade houses are also being promoted in schools with five schools benefiting from the project last year.
“This year we are not doing any, so next year we will be building some shade houses in the farming communities.”
One of the communities he said that would be targeted is Mara on the East Bank of Berbice. This he said might be able to bring down the prices for agricultural commodities.
“The prices of agricultural commodities in the market have gone up a little bit and so we will have to work towards bringing down those prices that are presently pretty high in some of the market places,” the Chairman said.
Zeroing on rice, the regional chairman expressing optimism about the ongoing growth in rice cultivation. “Things are expanding,” he said, reflecting the region’s progress in agriculture.
He pointed out that there are still a percentage of the previous crop still to be harvested.
That rice still has a few more weeks before it is ready for harvesting.
“They planted very late. They don’t listen. We have always set out a time table for planting and for reaping. Some people decide that they will plant at any time. If you plant at any time then you are at risk when the rains begin to fall, your crop could spoil; that is a risk that they are prepared to take,” the chairman explained to reporters after the RDC meeting.
He pointed out that when farmers go into the crop outside of the recommended planting schedule, apart from the farmer’s paddy being ready to reap during the rainy season; it impacts the regional administration and waste resources.
“It impacts us because we have to pump water just for them because if the rain doesn’t fall, then we have to be able to pump water for irrigation purposes and so we spend more money on fuel.”
Typically, when the crop is starting if there is not enough rainfall, the regional administration pumps water from the Canje River to ensure that water levels in the cultivation area are kept high enabling farmers to pump water into their fields to flood them.
As the rice grows, they require less water and by harvesting time the farmers require the land to be dry and hard so that it can accommodate the combines.
Late planters disrupt the routine and also affect other rice farmers. (G4)