GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC -Guyana’s agriculture sector, specifically the rice industry, continues to reap success despite the El Nino weather conditions currently affecting the country.
According to Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, the country has seen an increase in production since the start of the year.
“Rice remains one of the main activities for us. Despite the El Nino condition that we are experiencing now and most of the year, we can still achieve our target that was set and surpass it,” he said during an event at the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) earlier this week.
The agriculture minister said the surplus is due to the renewed interest and cutting-edge measures the GRDB has since implemented to improve the industry and increase its yield.
One of those measures includes the recent launch of a new bio-fortified rice variety enriched with zinc.
Guyana is the first country in the Caribbean to have access to this new variety.
Before the launch, the agriculture ministry started the Regions Three and Six trials.
According to the minister, when cultivated, this type of rice will help farmers increase their yield and will increase preferential prices around the world.
Noting that Guyana has an advanced rice industry compared to other countries, Minister Mustapha said the nation is now helping Trinidad and Tobago to resuscitate its rice sector.
“Because of the plans and the programs we have implemented, we have seen GRDB helping places like Trinidad and Tobago that recently lost their rice industry. GRDB is helping that country renew its rice industry, and across the Caribbean, you will see more and more requests coming to GRDB,” the agriculture minister stated.
He added that several countries are coming on board and investing in Guyana’s agriculture sector since many opportunities are available here.
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