Suriname discussing rice deal in Venezuela

(De Ware Tijd) PARAMARIBO – President Desi Bouterse has left for Venezuela to negotiate a deal that will be a relief to Surinamese rice farmers. Minister Winston Lackin of Foreign Affairs is in the presidential delegation but not Minister Soerish Algoe of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fishery, who is on leave.

Sources close to the President’s Office tell de Ware Tijd that the president and his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro will put into effect the benefits of the PetroCaribe deal. Guyanese rice farmers are already benefiting from the deal.

Nickerie rice farmers are in a tight spot because rice brokers have offered only SRD 50 for a sack of paddy this season. After government intervention the brokers offered SRD 58, which is still on the low side.