Region Two Rice Farmers Protest Low Paddy Prices, Spoilage Crisis
Rice farmers in Region Two—long considered a PPP/C stronghold—are voicing anger and frustration over the current prices being offered for paddy, coupled with widespread spoilage and what they describe as government inaction.
With only one operational mill in the region, many farmers are left waiting days to offload their harvest. This delay has led to spoilage of trailers of paddy, causing significant losses.
Farmer Takoor Misir, who cultivates 155 acres, said the intake process is crippling.
“We have on record 10 loads of paddy spoilt. We calling on the government, please start buying paddy through GRDB as the last crop,” Misir pleaded.
The situation has sparked protests across the region, with farmers demanding urgent intervention.
President Irfaan Ali and Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha have since met with affected farmers to discuss possible solutions. One proposal involved renting additional mill facilities at Hampton Court and Dry Shore to fast-track the intake process.
Despite these meetings, farmers remain unconvinced. They argue that the current paddy price of $2,200–$2,300 per bag makes it impossible to replant for another crop.
“Farmers cannot go back into the fields and plant with that price,” one protester said, warning that many may abandon rice production if relief is not provided.
Region Two farmers are now pleading with the government to provide subsidies or adopt a clear strategy to save the industry, stressing that without urgent intervention, their livelihoods are at stake.
