THE continuing dry weather has significantly affected cultivation of the current rice crop, General Secretary of the Guyana Rice Producers Association (RPA), Mr. Dharamkumar Seeraj reported yesterday.

He told the Chronicle that originally for this crop, 176,000 acres of rice were to have been cultivated, but so far about 140,000 acres have been planted. This is about 80% of the original target.

For the same crop last year about 155,000 acres were planted.

Seeraj explained that the two major factors responsible for the reduced cultivation are the severe shortage of irrigation water due to the drought and financial difficulties facing farmers.

He pointed out, however, that dry conditions like those being experienced generally result in better yields and a higher quality of paddy, if the fields receive adequate water.

It is anticipated that the crop will have an average national yield of 34 bags of paddy per acre, he said. The comparable figure for last year was 27.5 bags, Seeraj said.

He noted that the cost of production is expected to increase slightly because of additional costs incurred for pumping water into the rice fields.

Seeraj also reported that there is a possibility of paddy bug infestation, with indications of the paddy bug presence in some regions already evident.

In this regard, he said the RPA is appealing to farmers to take all preventative measures against this hazardous pest.

Bushes on dams and areas surrounding rice fields should be cleared because these are ideal nesting grounds for the paddy bug, he said.

Seeraj, who recently visited all the rice-growing regions, told the Chronicle that in some communities the regional administrations in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO) have been implementing measures to minimise damage and losses to the current rice crop.

Pumps have been installed in several areas to boost the supply of water, but even that is also becoming more difficult because water levels in the conservancies and creeks from where fresh water can be accessed, are decreasing at an alarming rate, he said.

Seeraj said that because of the grave situation facing the crop, the RPA is exhorting farmers to abide by the regulations governing the mechanisms that have been implemented to ease the difficult situation.

"The situation demands cooperation from everyone," he added.

Some of the areas that have been severely hit by the drought are the islands of Leguan and Wakenaam in the Essequibo River and Crabwood Creek and No. 51/Good Hope in Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne), which are traditionally large rice producing areas.

In Leguan, available land for rice cultivation total 7,000 acres, but only 106 acres have been planted; in Wakenaam the comparable figures are 4,800 and 930; Crabwood Creek 4,000 and 360 and No. 51/Good Hope 5,000 and 0 acres, respectively.

Seeraj provided the following figures to indicate the situation for all the rice-growing regions:

** In Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam) the available land total 32,000 acres and 24,800 acres have been cultivated.

** Region Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands) - 36,000 and 13,000.

** Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica) - 6,800 and 6,100.

** Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice) - 57,000 and 54,000.

** Region Six - 53,000 and 34,000, respectively.