Rice farmers have beaten the weather and turned in what is being called an excellent autumn crop. Most importantly prices are firm with the average price for paddy reaching $1500 with one or two millers paying $1600 for extra A grade.
Farmers are still however pleading on millers to pay them on time.
At Alesie Group of Companies, farmers are receiving $1600 per bag for Extra A. Grade A paddy is being purchased at $1550, while B and C is being purchased at $1500 per bag. The mill is also promising to pay farmers within three weeks of supply.
At Fairfield Mill located at Mahaicony, grades A, B and C are being purchased at $1500 per bag. An official at the company said the quality of the paddy this crop is good, despite persistent rain. The official observed that their price was reasonable given the constraints of the industry.
Abdool Hack on the West Coast of Demerara is also purchasing rice at $1500 per bag of A, B and C grades. Another mill in Berbice is offering $1400 for Extra A and $60 less on every grade below. But this mill is paying cash on delivery.
Speaking to Stabroek Business last week, General Secretary of the Rice Producers Association, Dharamkumar Seeraj said he was pleased with the prices noting that in the last crop farmers were offered between $1200-$1300. He said they were anticipating such offers, and he asserted that once millers remain honest with their scales both they and the farmers would enjoy good rewards. Seeraj also noted that the quality of the paddy this crop is very good, observing that some of the millers themselves have been commenting on that.
With regard to drainage and irrigation, Seeraj said there has been some level of improvement in this area, though admitting that in some areas in Regions Three and Five, access dams were in a deplorable condition.
Giving a break down of production figures for the week ending September 24, The Guyana Rice Development Board says out of the industry's target of 64,047 hectares, 53,351 were prepared and 53,028 sown. So far 25,392 hectares have been harvested, producing 1.8M bags of paddy at an overall yield of 72.3 bags of paddy per hectare. The GRDB also states that only 47.9% of the crop has been harvested and the industry is likely to achieve its target.
Region Two, out of a target of 13,158 acres, has seen 12,942 prepared, 11,120 sown. So far 837,743 bags of paddy have been produced with a yield of 75.3 bags per hectare. The figures also represent 85.9% of the region's harvesting for the crop.
Across in Region Three, a target of 8,704 acres was set, but only 7,779 was prepared and sown. So far 3,624 has been harvested producing some 262,752 bags at a yield of 72.5 bags of paddy per hectare.
The figures also represent 46.6% of the region's harvesting. So far West Demerara has recorded the largest harvest for the region with 2,478 acres out of the 3,624 that has so far been harvested. The other areas are Wakenaam with 744 acres and Leguan, 402.
In Region Four, 83.5% of the rice has been harvested with figures only available for Cane Grove and Biaboo. A total of 2,765 hectares were prepared and sown, 2,308 harvested so far, producing 176,700 bags of paddy. Yield has been recorded at 76.6 bags per hectare.
In Region Five, figures are in for the Mahaica/Abary and the West Berbice areas. A total of 22,267 hectares was targeted but only 16,680 was actually prepared and sown. Some 3,644 hectares have since been harvested raking in 249,300 bags at a yield of 68.4 bags of paddy per hectare. Mahaica/Abary has accounted for 2,551 acres of lands that have been harvested and recorded a higher yield of 69.1 bags of paddy per hectare than West Berbice with 66.7.
In Region Six, 36.5% of the crop has been harvested. At Frontlands, 7,408 hectares were prepared and 7,085 sown.
Approximately 4,089 hectares have been harvested so far producing 271,300 bags of paddy at a yield of 66.3 bags per hectare. Across at Black Bush Polder, 10.5% of the crop has been harvested, producing some 39,000 bags at a yield of 66.1 bags of paddy per hectare. (Nigel Williams)
