Two of the main rice mills in Guyana’s Region Six have agreed to pay farmers $ 3,000 per bag of paddy, up from the previous offer of $ 2,800, in a move hailed as a boost for local rice producers.
The announcement came during a meeting on Wednesday at Skeldon, led by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and attended by Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha and Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh, alongside other officials.
Minister Mustapha told farmers the government is committed to securing the maximum price for their paddy.
“The government wants you all to have maximum price for the paddy. That is why we are doing all these things. We are continuing the negotiation. The President instructed us to meet regularly with the millers to see what we can do,” he said.
He revealed that the Hack Group of Companies has already agreed to the $3,000 price.
“So as it stands now in Region Six, two of the main mills are the Hacks Group of Company, they are paying $3,000. I understand Nand Persaud is still paying less than that. But then also the farmers, some of the farmers got contract with these mills. Farmers should have the freedom to sell their paddy at any mill that is paying the highest price. We should not tie ourselves down to a particular mill,” Minister Mustapha said.
He added that discussions will continue to improve prices further, signalling the government’s ongoing commitment to supporting farmers and strengthening Guyana’s agricultural sector.
With the revised pricing, rice farmers in Region Six can expect increased earnings, reflecting the government’s focus on supporting agriculture and enhancing the livelihoods of local producers.
