Agriculture Minister, the Honourable Zulfikar Mustapha, returned to the Essequibo Coast to engage with rice farmers and announce a series of immediate interventions to address ongoing challenges within the region’s rice industry.
During the meeting, Minister Mustapha assured farmers that the Ministry of Agriculture, through the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), is taking active steps to resolve issues related to paddy spoilage due to delays at rice mills. He emphasized that the GRDB will be working closely with both farmers and millers to correct these delays and improve efficiency across the supply chain.
As part of the Government’s response, the Minister also announced that senior officials from the GRDB, along with regional extension officers, will begin working directly with farmers to ensure a fair and transparent paddy grading system is enforced.
“These additional interventions are already underway,” Minister Mustapha stated. “Our goal is to ensure that all 300,000 bags of paddy are successfully harvested and processed at the mills without further loss or delay. We are committed to safeguarding farmers’ livelihoods and supporting the strength of the rice sector in Region Two.”
Minister Mustapha was accompanied by Director General Madanlall Ramraj, GRDB General Manager Badrie Persaud, Deputy General Manager Kuldip Ragnauth, and other senior regional officials.
Farmers welcomed the interventions and expressed appreciation for the Minister’s prompt response and continued presence in the region.
