Dear Editor,
Rice production fell by more than 13 per cent for 2016, the first negative growth since 2005 when the La Niña big flood impacted on rice. The Minister of Agriculture stated that rice production was about 600,000 tonnes; in fact, it fell below 600,000, interrupting the annual record-breaking performance which started in 2008. Beginning in 2011, the rice industry recorded a new single crop record every crop for nine straight crops, in spite of some serious inclement weather. The first crop of 2015 was the largest single crop production in our history, at about 375,000 tonnes. The successive new records for a single crop for rice production were interrupted in the second rice crop for 2015, with production falling to below 300,000 tonnes.
There was also a 20 per cent reduction in acreage under cultivation from about 93,000 tonnes to less than 71,000 hectares. Both 2016 crops have failed to reach 300,000 tonnes. The downward trajectory in rice production has forced APNU/AFC into silence. Unlike the end of 2015 when they boasted about rice production, their 2016 rice posture is a virtual silence.
In 2012, rice production topped 400,000 tonnes for the first time. In 2013, rice production exceeded 500,000 tonnes. In 2014, production reached 635,000 tonnes. After the first crop in 2015, production exceeded 375,000 and Guyana was above pace to attain the targeted 700,000 tonnes. The actual 675,000 tonnes in 2015 was another record, continuing the work of the PPP Government. But, the second crop of 2015 was the smallest since 2011.
The Minister of Agriculture boasted that they secured 35 destinations as markets for Guyana’s rice. Let him inform the nation which one of these is entirely new and which one the Government secured in 2016. All of the 35 destinations for Guyana’s rice in 2016 existed in 2014. It is true we sold more rice to Europe in 2016, but that market was there and we voluntarily reduced our export to Europe between 2009 and 2015 because we chose Venezuela as a more profitable export destination.
We lost Venezuela by the end of 2015 and so we were forced in 2016 to send more rice to Europe, a lower-priced market. The Mexico market which we always supplied with a very small amount was claimed by PM Nagamootoo to be a new large market towards the end of 2015. He took personal responsibility and credit, but it never materialised in 2016.
In 2016, farmers had minimal to no support for drainage and irrigation. The MMA was less responsive and the pumps that operated in several regions functioned below optimal capacity. Often, there was not enough fuel and just as often, the pumps were down, in need of maintenance and repairs. Non-support to cope with drainage and irrigation problems, low paddy prices, late payments, high fertiliser prices and paddy bug infestations have combined to cause reduced acreage under cultivation and lower production.
In short, we ended 2016 with rice farmers under assault, not just ignored, but penalised in 2016. APNU/AFC is clueless when it comes to rice and have foolishly removed all measures farmers benefited from. With no support for early payment, low paddy prices, non-support for affordable fertilisers, no support for drainage and irrigation, and removal of taxes on machinery and fuel and increased VAT on electricity and water, rice farmers confront a bleak and dreary 2017. I expect further reduction in rice production in 2017.
Sincerely,
Dr Leslie Ramsammy
Former Agriculture
Minister
