GUYANA-Guyana launches a new variety of rice.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC -Guyana has launched a new high-yielding rice variety known as ‘GRDB 18’ to modernize the agricultural sector through innovation and technology.

“This variety is very tolerant to water lodging, which is crucial for maintaining high-quality harvest…Additionally, it has developed superior grain quality, ensuring we can compete effectively in local and international markets,” said Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha.

The Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) chief scientist, Mahendra Persaud, said rice recovery has not declined after 120 trials.

“We have seen from all those trials that the average is around 7.2 tons per hectare, around 45 bags per acre. So, regarding the yield potential, the candidate variety is good,” he added.

The new variety, launched at a rice field in Nooten Zuil, East Coast Demerara, can withstand late harvesting of 10 to 15 days and endure harsh conditions such as drought, offering hope for improved resilience in the rice sector.

Mustapha said the GRBD had launched two rice varieties within four years, with GRDB 16 being introduced in 2020.

He urged the board to develop another high-yielding rice variety that offers better quality and will increase rice production by next November.

“We must ensure that we work and commit ourselves to include best practices to transform the rice industry…I hope we can extend our market to about 50 more countries in the coming years,” she said.

Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Madanlall Ramraj, said that varietal development is crucial for increasing rice production in the country, noting that the rice industry is valued at GUY$100 billion (One Guyana dollar=US$0.004 cents), with over GUY$42 billion worth of seed paddy sold to mills last year.

He said mills’ exports to other countries amounted to GUY$44 billion, with billions more in local sales, drainage, irrigation, and machinery.

“We will continue to work to ensure that the farming community benefits from the intervention of the Ministry of Agriculture,” Ramraj added.