Says agreement was for 60,000 tonnes per annum
President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday said the arrangements for rice exports to Jamaica would be examined in light of mixed signals that have been coming from the island.

Responding to a question about Jamaica’s inability to take up local exports set aside for it, Jagdeo told reporters yesterday at a press conference at the Office of the President that based on his meeting with the Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding earlier this year it was agreed that 60,000 metric tonnes would be bought annually.

Jamaica’s Commerce and Industry Minister Karl Samuda was widely quoted in the Jamaican press as saying that because of diminishing demand Jamaica would not purchase an additional 30,000 MT that Guyana set aside for it. Samuda also said the Guyana quota would have to exclude emergency purchases sourced from the US made with waivers on the Common External Tariff (CET).

“That is not the agreement,” Jagdeo said yesterday, adding that if it is Jamaica’s position, he would speak to Samuda and Prime Minister Golding.  Jagdeo said he has seen correspondence between Samuda and Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud, in which Guyana expressed its concern over the situation. He said Samuda told Minister Persaud not to worry about the newspaper article in Jamaica. Samuda, has, however, issued clarification for his statements in the Jamaican press.

Jagdeo added that the situation is unfortunate in light of the large crop that has been produced this year, compounded by the world economic crisis that has seen prices fall. Nevertheless, he emphasised that the rice industry is looking for other markets to tap.

Agriculture Minister Persaud met with millers and exporters recently and assured that their rice would be bought. He said aggressive moves are being made to enter non-traditional markets, like Panama in Central America and Poland in Europe as well as Africa. He added that there are also attempts to expand market share in Haiti and mentioned too that the UN’s World Food Programme has inquired about sourcing rice here.

Jamaica has agreed in principle to source its rice from Guyana, although the government cannot legally guarantee purchase since importation of rice is a private sector trade that is conducted on behalf of the government.