Guyana can supply Jamaican rice market - Minister Persaud assures - to meet Jamaican Agri and Trade Ministers on issue
 
Georgetown, GINA, October 08, 2007.

Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud is scheduled to meet Jamaica’s Ministers of Trade and Agriculture to discuss that country’s intention to import rice from the United States of America (USA) and its claim that Guyana is unable to supply the Jamaican market.
            At a press conference today at the Ministry of Agriculture boardroom, Minister Persaud said, “I want to ensure that Guyana’s position is well known and to reiterate we can supply our market arrangement. We have exceeded that amount of rice that was exported for the same period last year and we are committed, not only to our share of the Jamaican market, but we want a bigger share.”
            Guyana has already exported 10, 000 tonnes of rice more than was exported in the corresponding period of 2006 and 2005 and it is expected that exports for this year will reach approximately 54, 000 tonnes. Export of rice in 2006 was approximately 3, 000 tonnes.  
            “I want to assure my colleagues when I meet them that we will continue to honour as we have done, all our contractual obligations to supply and we are interested in a bigger share of the Jamaican market,” Minister Persaud pointed out.
            Guyana supplies about 50, 000 tonnes of rice to Jamaica while the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has granted Jamaica a waiver for the importation of 65, 000 tonnes of paddy to be milled in the country. This amounts to approximately 45, 000 tonnes of rice, which when combined with the amount exported, meet the demand for rice in Jamaica, which is about 80, 000 tonnes.
            Minister Persaud said Guyana remains firm in its objection to the waiver to import paddy from the US.
“Our objection too, is not only the opportunity for our farmers but also imported rice from the US creates unfair competition because the US rice industry is subsidised by as much as 65 percent. So it puts our farmers at a disadvantage,” the Minister explained.
He expressed confidence that Guyana will not lose the Jamaican market and that the matter will be amicably resolved as the meeting will allow both parties to discuss their positions.
The Minister further stated that the Jamaica officials may be even invited to visit Guyana to meet the various stakeholders and witness the industry’s potential with all the investments being made by the Government of Guyana to ensure its continued growth.
At present, more than $8B is being invested in the local rice industry to enhance production with focus on drainage and irrigation, seed paddy improvement and research and extension development. Construction of a seed paddy processing plant and storage and drying facility valued approximately $250M is expected to commence later this month and is another investment to support rice development.
Additionally, approximately US$14M will be injected next year under the Agricultural Support Services Programme (ASSP) which has been restructured. This includes various component targeting infrastructure, capacity building and institutional strengthening.

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