Rice output, exports up -Minister Persaud reports
Stabroek News
January 6, 2007
Figures reported by the Ministry of Agriculture on the rice sector revealed an increase in output and export earnings for 2006 over the previous year while sugar also showed in-creased production but was below the revised target of 279,000 metric tonnes.
The figures were revealed yesterday when the Minister of Agricul-ture, Robert Persaud held a press conference to review the performance of the agricultural sector.
Rice production in terms of export value increased by some US$8.2M from the previous year when the figure was US$46.2M compared to the 2006 total of US$54.4M. This dollar figure translates to export sales of 204,296 metric tonnes for last year while in 2005 the figure stood at 182,175 metric tonnes.
It was noted that the target in that sector was affected last year by the loss of approximately 12,000 acres in the first crop due to flooding and damage by cattle. However, an increase in yield from a projected 68 bags per hectare to 72 bags per hectare contributed to a rise in production for the second crop.
Persaud also noted that the worrying issue of non-payment for paddy by millers is being addressed through a number of measures including the amendment to the Rice Factories Act, which was tabled on December 21, 2006 in the National Assembly.
Sugar, the minister said, achieved an actual production total of 259,491 tonnes. Breaking the numbers down for the last two years, Persaud told the media that total production amounted to 253,176 metric tonnes in 2005. Export figures came in at 230,393 metric tonnes for 2005 and 238,593 metric tonnes for 2006.
According to the minister, Guysuco was able to meet its entire EU and US bulk sugar commitments despite the lower than budgeted production. The company had projected a total of 315,000 tonnes in October 2005 but revised that figure to 279,000 tonnes in January of last year.
EU sugar protocol figures amounted to 173,554 tonnes against a budgeted figure of 167,000 tonnes. The US quota saw Guyana benefiting from Hurricane Katrina which pulverized the sugar crop in Louisiana. The initial quota of 13,953 tonnes was increased to 21,561 tonnes for the 2005/2006 delivery year. The sector actually supplied 22,400 tonnes against a budget of 24,000 tonnes.
Two new products: Demerara Brown and Demerara White introduced to export markets sold well, the minister said, with an increase from 500 tonnes in 2003 to 4,731.56 tonnes in 2006. The sachet market also expanded significantly, almost doubling sales of 313,200 tonnes in 2005 to 600,000 in 2006.
In terms of the modern infrastructure being introduced by Guysuco, Persaud said the Skeldon project was moving ahead with an expected completion date of February 2008.
The minister also used the opportunity to note that the East Demerara Estates recorded commendable performances considering the setbacks from flooding. (Christopher Yaw)