MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mexico ready to purchase Guyana rice following Venezuela's refusal to renew exchange accord

PM Moses Nagamootoo office said Mexico’s Agriculture Minister Jose Calzada had given assurances he would fast track arrangements to buy Guyana’s paddy.

The Guyana government says Mexico has indicated a willingness to fast track an agreement to purchase paddy rice from the Caribbean country. A statement released by the Office of Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo said that Mexico’s Agriculture Minister Jose Calzada has given the assurance that he would fast track arrangements to buy Guyana’s paddy.

 The statement quoted him as saying that he would also seek to encourage the private sector to enter into contracts with Guyanese millers.

Last month, Nagamootoo met with Calzada whilst attending the Open Governance Summit in Mexico City.

The David Granger administration has been seeking new markets after Guyana is recording increased production and a decision by Venezuela not to renew an agreement under which the rice was exported to that country in exchange for energy products.

A government statement in Georgetown noted that Guyana’s production in the first half of 2015 was 359,960 tonnes, 15.3% more than last year’s record high, first-half production of 312,283 tons.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) is conducting an investigation into media reports that ‘fake’ seed paddy were being distributed to farmers. Technical advisers within the GRDB say the inferior quality may be as a result from bad storage.