Wakenaam rice farmers to save $3.5M as Govt slashes transport costs

Rice farmers in Wakenaam Island are praising Government for the new transportation subsidies which will help mitigate the economic hardship brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, and will, in turn, see them saving some $3.5 million.
During community consultations on Friday, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar said: “Government, led by Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, is doing this for the farmers… [We] will reduce the cost by half if they’re taking it to Essequibo and it will be one-third the cost if they’re taking it to Parika.”

The Transport and Harbours Department (THD) within the Public Works Ministry will facilitate the subsidy by allowing rice on the island to be transported aboard one of its vessels. The subsidy, however, is only effective for the current crop of rice and came about after years of pleas for Government assistance.
Jitinger Ramkisoon, one of the largest rice farmers on Legaun island expressed appreciation for the initiative, noting that it has been tough for farmers to get the paddy off the island – a very expensive activity.
During an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), the farmer explained that a private barge would usually transport the island’s paddy at a high cost. With the subsidies, the farmer plans to reinvest the money saved into growing his business.

“I can plant some more rice. I can buy some more machines to make the work easier,” Ramkissoon added. Meanwhile, Terry Singh, a farmer of 20 years, said he will put the savings towards planting additional rice crops.
Balram Rampersaud, a rice farmer of two decades, praised the initiative and simultaneously issued his dissatisfaction with the APNU/AFC’s posture towards rice farmers while in Government.
In fact, he said, “Under the previous Government we had no subsidies for rice. In the PPP Government, if you lose your crop, you get things and subsidies. It’s either you get seed paddy [or] you get chemicals, or some fuel and something, but for the five years past by, nothing.”
Meanwhile, Regional Councillor, Aseef Ahmad described Government’s decision as unprecedented. He said the subsidies will allow the farmers to save a whopping $3.5 million. The decision to allow T&HD to extend vessel operations on the island from two days to five was also seen as a great stimulus to economic activity in the face of the pandemic.
The regional Councillor added that the subsidies will enhance the transportation of products from Wakenaam to Georgetown and other destinations and enhance farmers’ ability to trade, in terms of bringing in more wholesale products.
“We have seen a lot of movements apace in terms of the two months that Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali is in Government. We have seen our President and his Ministers. All the Regional Chairmen and Councillors are on the ground. They are moving services to the people and that is what should happen in a country,” Councillor Ahmad stated.
Regional Chairman, Ishan Ayube expressed gratitude towards Government for responding to farmers’ needs. The relief for farmers is a result of a series of measures included in the 2020 Emergency Budget for the agriculture sector.
Some of those measures are a $9 billion allocation for drainage and irrigation; VAT removals and key inputs in the poultry sector and on agriculture machinery; and the phased reopening of the Enmore, Rose Hall and Skeldon Sugar Estates.
The Ministry of Agriculture was allocated $18.4 billion under the emergency budget.