A committee to look at the current rice marketing situation and to make recommendations has been formed and Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud has urged rice millers and exporters to be more expeditious in their payment to farmers.

A press release from the Ministry of Agriculture on Saturday stated that Persaud made the appeal to the millers at a meeting recently, as the current crop is progressing and farmers need finance to undertake land preparation and other activities. It noted that the meeting was organized in response to numerous reports that millers owed farmers and in some cases for the first crop.

The minister cautioned the millers, who were delinquent in paying the farmers and reminded them of the Rice Factories Act that makes provision for the non-issuing of a licence if they owe farmers more than 5% for the year before, the release said, adding that the Ministry continues to receive reports of non-payment by “the largest buyer.”

Also discussed was a way forward for the industry and Persaud announced that he has formed a broad committee comprising members of the milling community, the Guyana Rice Development Board, the Guyana Rice Producers Association, the Financial Sector and other technical officials to examine the present marketing situation and to make recommendations to move the industry forward.

“These measures will not be restricted to marketing activities alone, but will also include other intervention to support millers’ activities”, the statement said.  The committee comprises Mohammed Sattaur, who is the Chairman, and members include Dr. Gobin Ganga, Dr.  Peter deGroot, Beni Sankar, Jai Beni, Dharamkumar Seeraj, Nigel Dharamlall, Cecil Seepersaud and Jagnarine Singh.

Meantime, the minister also stated that the current commission on the export of rice will be changed to a Rice Development Fund.

This will be linked with the international prices and move similarly with those prices, the release said adding that the fund will be further utilized to conduct market research and to develop new varieties.

Additionally, in an effort to regularize the activities of millers, Persaud advocated for the re-establishment of the millers’ association. “This will be able to address specific interventions and to make representation on behalf of all millers.

Some millers showed some interest in moving this process forward and agreed to meet soon”, the statement said.