GEORGETOWN – Guyana says it is anticipating more half a million tonnes of paddy rice from the first crop of farmer’s paddy rice cultivation.
General Manager of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRB), Nizam Hassan, said they are anticipating a yield of 530 000 tonnes, an increase of nine per cent from the 488 833 tonnes that had been projected for the first crop of 2018
He said with 51 280 hectares of the 87 539 hectares sown, already harvested, the GRB is also anticipating improved prices, and improved production.
“Thus far, we’ve seen an excellent performance in the first rice crop of 2018. To date, we have harvested 59 per cent across the country and we have seen an increase in yields. Yield increases have moved from two bags per acre to as much as nine bags per acre, this has been really good for the farmers since they also have been receiving higher prices for their production.
“So, overall, we have seen higher yields, better prices and also better paddy coming out of the fields, in terms of production,” Hassan said
“This fares very well for the sector and very well for the industry because we’ve been getting increases in terms of inquiries and increased opportunities to market our products, and all of the increased production we have seen has been committed to markets which is a good thing for our producers and the business persons involved in the sale. All of the production has been committed to the market so we’re able to fulfil our markets,” he added. (CMC)
