Marketing, trade support – important focus of GRDB’s re-organisation
-Agriculture Minister

Georgetown, GINA, December 05, 2007.

Focus continues to be placed on re-organisation of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) to ensure that it is better equipped to guide further growth of the rice industry and meet the needs of farmers.
            A series of interactions have been held including a national consultation earlier this year to incorporate the views and recommendations of all stakeholders and already a draft strategy has been prepared for re-organising the Board. 
            This, according to Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud will be presented to Cabinet during next year for its endorsement since it seeks to address several strategic, policies, managerial and operational issues.
            “The aim of this is to ensure the GRDB is well positioned to respond to the challenges, lead the anticipated growth of the rice sector and provide services that all stakeholders such as farmers, millers and exporters will require from the agency,” he explained.
            The re-organisation process will require GRDB to invest more attention in areas of institutional development, technical services, operational efficiencies, transparency of action through communication planning and client-driven modus operandi.         
            The restructured GRDB will be required to significantly intensify its focus on marketing and trade support which is crucial to rice development. GRDB was established in 1995 to develop the local rice industry with its mandate to promote expansion of export trade, establish facilities to conduct research and transfer the technology to farmers.
The Board’s formation was done in accordance with the GRDB Act of 1994 and replaced three main entities – the Guyana Rice Export Board (GREB), Guyana Rice Milling and Marketing Authority (GRMMA) and the National Paddy and Rice Grading Centre (NPRGC).
            GRDB’s reorganisation is among the many initiatives being pursued by the administration to ensure rice viability in Guyana. At present, more than $8M is being invested in this sector under various programmes targeting infrastructure, research and extension and rice seed development.
            These interventions are also aimed at enhancing the delivery of services required to improve efficiency and competitiveness of the rice industry and help overcome its current challenges.
            Last year, the Rice Factories’ Act was amended to ensure a level playing field, especially with regard to payment to rice farmers by millers. In the past, there were many instances where farmers’ payments were delayed for extended periods.
            Additionally, new regulations were put into effect to address some of the contentious issues in the rice sector where millers are required to put in place digital scale for weighing paddy and rice among other actions.

 

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