Caroni rice project features disease-resistant seeds from Guyana

inister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Kazim Hosein toured a rice project which is intended to revitalise the local rice industry, with the help of disease-resistant seeds from Guyana. 
In an update, the Ministry shared photos of Agriculture Minister Kazim Hosein on a tour of the project today. 
The Ministry said in 2023 it procured and distributed 91 tonnes of high-yielding, disease-resistant rice seeds from the government of Guyana—an essential step towards enhancing the quality and quantity of the country's rice production.
The Ministry said the project has not only met but exceeded acreage cultivation targets set by MALF's technical team.
The Ministry said other notable achievements of the project include contracts issued to individual rice farmers by National Flour Mills, repairs and servicing of MALF's Rice Harvester and other equipment, and ongoing training sessions introducing modern production techniques.
Currently, Minister Hosein is actively spearheading the identification of new lands for rice production—a strategic initiative aligned with the Ministry's growth objectives. 


In 2022 regional leaders attended the Agri Investment Forum and Expo II to discuss food security and creating the easier movement of goods and services within the region. 
CARICOM has committed to a 25 per cent reduction in its regional food import bill by 2025.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the combined food import bill (FIB) for the 14 Caribbean Community member states sky-rocketed from US$2.08 billion in 2000 to US$4 billion in 2008, and surpassed the US$4.25 billion mark in 2011. (Source: The Loop, Jan 22, 2024)