Rambharat warns agricultural societies of greed ruining success

Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat has called for greater collaboration among stakeholders in the sector.

On Friday, at the product launch of Red Gold Moruga hill rice at the Moruga Agro-Processing and Light Industrial Park, he said co-operatives has played an important role in the past, and there was need for a revitalisation.

Referring to the Coconut Growers Association and the Cirtus Growers Association, he said one possessed strong leadership, which allowed for success, while the other did not.

Red Gold is a product of Moruga Hill Rice Multipurpose Co-operative Society, whose president is Rachael Ann Cooper-Lee.

Rambharat warned the society to have proper management and foresight for the new business venture.

“At the first sight of money or something looking like success it becomes enticing and then there is greed, control and the inability to control membership and oversight of the co-operative. So, I caution you.

He noted that the agricultural sector has been plagued by land tenure, poor land administration and management, corruption and lack of oversight.

“Agriculture as a business has suffered, because the most significant thing to have as farmer is tenure of your land. No farmer in Orange Grove has a lease, and this has to with corruption, disorganisation of farmers, and lack of oversight by our ministry and successive ministries with the responsibility for land tenure,” he said, adding that for Orange Grove and Paramin farmers these land tenure issues will be resolved this year, so leases can follow.

Trade Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon, also at the launch, pledged support for marketing the product through ExporTT.

Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA) representative Diane Francis said the society was one step toward national food and nutrition security. IICA provided funding and expertise such as branding and market promotion to the society.

Moruga hill rice, a community staple for generations, is now being marketed locally and regionally with intentions to go global.

Society president Coooper-Lee said the co-operative, while it intended to become commercially viable, had as one of its missions to create jobs.

“As we continue to witness and experience the negative effects of covid19... it is therefore our mission to improve the livelihoods of our members through the provision of technical and social support, input goods and service such as marketing and creating employment, with the focus on empowering women, youth and our community through entrepreneurship.