By Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News|
LEONORA, WEST DEMERARA — The Ministry of Agriculture has officially launched the second major phase of its multi-billion-dollar emergency agricultural relief rollout, injecting over $201.6 million directly into the bank accounts and pockets of rice farmers across Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha spearheaded the high-volume distribution exercise on Tuesday morning at the National Track and Field Centre in Leonora. The direct financial intervention is part of a broader, $2.763 billion to $3 billion nationwide cash subsidy program announced by President Irfaan Ali in late April following a high-level consultation with hundreds of rice producers at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC). The initiative aims to insulate domestic farmers from surging global fuel prices, fertilizer price shocks, and shifting geopolitical trade logistics.
While more than 500 local farmers had formally registered and passed through the Guyana Rice Development Board’s (GRDB) strict post-harvest acreage verification system, a significant number of registered beneficiaries failed to show up to uplift their financial documents on Tuesday. Ministry staff confirmed that uncollected checks are being transferred back to the regional sub-offices for secure, delayed collection.
“Over the years, you as farmers would know better than anyone else in this country that all the commitments, all the promises that we have made to the farmers of our country—especially the rice farmers—were fulfilled to the letter,” Minister Mustapha stated while addressing the gathering. He expressed confidence that these targeted infusions will enable national rice production to safely surpass last year’s historic milestone of 825,000 tonnes by the end of 2026.
The Direct Subsidy Payment Structure
The financial relief matrix is calculated strictly based on verified cultivation metrics to guarantee transparent distribution to small and mid-scale operators:
- Small-Scale Tier (50 Acres or Less): Receives a direct subsidy of $15,000 per acre to protect vulnerable family-owned operations.
- Commercial Tier (Greater than 50 Acres): Receives $10,000 per acre to help stabilize heavy overhead margins and industrial processing costs.
- Region 3 Impact Zone: 560 verified rice farmers cultivating a combined 15,636 acres are systematically drawing from a $201,696,055 regional allocation.
- National Investment Envelope: Approximately $2.763 billion is being systematically distributed across agricultural coastlands.
Speaking with HGPTV Nightly News on the concrete stands of the Leonora complex, local rice cultivators expressed immense relief over the cash grant, pointing out that the funds are arriving at a critical moment in their seasonal crop cycle.
“This financial assistance is going to go a far way in terms of helping us buy essential fertilizers, pest-control drugs, and help us cover our labor costs because you can see the skyrocketing labor cost currently affecting this country,” shared Region 3 rice farmer Kevon John, referencing the national labor crunch driven by competing infrastructure developments.
Another prominent area farmer, Ramesh Hemjan, echoed those exact sentiments of gratitude. “I want to sincerely thank the President for this cash grant check and for consistently helping out the farmers when the global markets get tough,” Hemjan stated warmly. “I am very thankful for this timely assistance.”
The Region Three rollout follows hard on the heels of last weekend’s initial launch in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), where the Ministry injected over $403 million into the hands of 1,301 verified producers. With additional distribution teams currently mobilizing to head into the massive cultivation belts of Regions Five and Six, the administration is moving rapidly to insulate Guyana’s premier agricultural export from international market volatility while safeguarding national food security.
