Corentyne rice farmers worried about markets, prices, drainage

Paddy being dried at a rice mill on the Corentyne

Rice farmers on the Corentyne continue to face challenges in the industry which they said has “gone to the dogs” and called on the government to take immediate action to rescue it.

They lamented that the low prices they have received for paddy for the last crop and the rising cost of production were contributing to the decline in the industry. The cost for fuel is around $1,000 per gallon and farmers said their expenses can be reduced if government was to subsidize the cost.

Apart from that, fertilizer and labour costs have also increased. Farmers are now paying over $5,000 per bag for fertilizer and $4,000 per day to labourers. The cost for agricultural machinery also keeps rising, they