10 weather stations to arrive in Guyana by mid-October to assist farmers

Credit: Weather Station Professional

President Dr Irfaan Ali has announced that ten weather stations are expected to arrive in Guyana by mid-October to support farmers facing multiple challenges.

“This will help our farmers to better predict weather patterns and to have dated information that will help them in terms their crop production,” he said.

The initiative forms part of the government’s risk management strategy for the rice sector, which continues to grapple with falling global prices despite record levels of domestic production.

Speaking at his first press conference since being re-elected, held at the Office of the President on Tuesday, Dr Ali explained that the global market is facing a glut, with rice output at an all-time high and major producers holding record stockpiles.

“We have another exciting rice crop ahead of us, but the international market and international prices is not as exciting as the production itself. When you look at the rice production globally, major producers/exporters such as India, Vietnam and Brazil having record levels of production…record levels of stockpile,” the President explained.

As a result, he noted that prices have declined, with average global white rice export quotas now at US$415 per tonne, down by US$14 from a month ago and US$228 from a year earlier.

The President emphasised that there is no need to scale back on local production, but rather to focus on value addition, storage, and trade expansion.

“We need to invest in storage, stockpiling, and higher-value rice products that not only secure farmers’ incomes but also build long-term sustainability,” Dr Ali said.

He highlighted that in recent years, the government has injected billions into the industry to support farmers. This includes $2 billion in price support to guarantee farmers at least $4,000 per bag of paddy, provision of fertiliser and seed paddy insurance, removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on machinery and agro-chemicals, settlement of Panama’s $1.5 billion debt to millers, and the zero-rating of the Guyana Rice Development Board’s 2025 sales commission.

According to the President, 69.4 per cent of farmers have already registered for crop insurance, and with the installation of new weather stations, the government aims to further strengthen the sector’s resilience.