Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, Director General of the ministry, Madanlall Ramraj, and Chief Scientist at GRDB, Mahendra Persaud inspecting the harvested rice. Photo: CMC
GEORGETOWN, Guyana -Guyana has launched a new high-yielding rice variety known as ‘GRDB 18,’ as part of the efforts to modernise the agricultural sector through innovation and technology.
“This variety is very tolerant to water lodging which is crucial for maintaining high-quality harvest…Additionally, it has developed superior grain quality, ensuring that we can compete effectively in both the local and international markets,” said Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha.
The chief scientist at the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Mahendra Persaud, said after 120 trials, there has been no decline in rice recovery.
“We have seen from all those trials the average is around 7.2 tons per hectare, that is around 45 bags per acre. So, in terms of the yield potential, the candidate variety is good,” he added.
The new variety, launched at a rice field in Nooten Zuil, East Coast Demerara, can withstand late harvesting of 10 to 15 days and endure harsh conditions such as drought, offering hope for improved resilience in the rice sector.
Mustapha said that within four years, the GRBD has managed to launch two rice varieties with GRDB 16 being introduced to the market in 2020.
He urged the board to develop another high-yielding rice variety that offers better quality and that will increase rice production by next November
“We have to ensure that we work and commit ourselves to include best practices to transform the rice industry…In the coming years, I am hoping that we can extend our market to about 50 more countries,” her said.
Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Madanlall Ramraj, said that varietal development is crucial for increasing rice production in the country, noting that the rice industry is valued at GUY$100 billion (One Guyana dollar=US$0.004 cents), with over GUY$42 billion worth of seed paddy sold to mills last year.
He said that exports from mills to other countries amounted to GUY$44 billion, with billions of dollars more in local sales, drainage, irrigation, and machinery.
“We will continue to work to ensure that the farming community benefits from the intervention of the Ministry of Agriculture,” Ramraj added. (CMC)
