JSC told, rice industry down the drain

THE country’s rice industry is “on the brink of total collapse”, National Rice Farmers Association head David Paponette yesterday told Parliament’s Joint Select Committee (JSC) on State Enterprises chaired by Anthony Vieira.

The committee heard no-one wants to buy the Carlsen Field rice mill because of a drastic drop in the growing of local rice to be milled there. Fazal Akaloo, who has farmed rice for 40 years, lamented that the State has failed to provide farmers with a guaranteed market and price for their goods, that is grown in too great a bulk to be sold to individuals at a street market.

The number of rice farmers in TT has fallen from 6,000 in the 1990s to just 30 now, he related. “This last crop only three farmers sold rice. Because of the flood, the rice industry was almost destroyed.” Akaloo said the little rice he has growing now will all be used as seed for the November harvest, and so he is unable to sell any to the National Flour Mills (NFM.) “My experience recently is one of disaster,” he said, largely blaming his woes on late payment from the Agriculture Ministry via the NFM. He pointed out the hardship farmers face when their rice offered to the NFM is downgraded from grade one (worth $1 a pound) to as low as grade four (worth 30 cents), the latter being less than his cost of production.

Akaloo recalled last year having to wait six months to be paid for his rice. He noted farmers had got no compensation for last year’s flooding.

Akaloo said farmers need to irrigate their fields but pointed to a site where WASA was asking them to pay fuel for the water-pumps, and for a watchman and an engineer to oversee it all.

“I can’t remember the last time they cleared the channels for farmers,” he added.

NFM chairman Nigel Romano said only when the ministry pays the NFM does the NFM pay farmers, declaring, “We are not a financial institution.” He said the farmers get a subsidy and must be encouraged to upgrade the quality of their rice.