No shortage of Guyana’s rice in St Vincent -Mustapha

Last Updated on Thursday, 13 June 2024, 21:00 by Writer

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha says there is no shortage of Guyana’s rice in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

He was reacting to recent claims by Vincentian Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves that there is a shortage of that grain from Guyana due to transportation issues and reported fungus.

While Dr Gonsalves had flagged the likelihood of St Vincent and the Grenadines turning to Brazil for that grain, Mr Mustapha said he and officials of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) recently held discussions with St Vincent and the Grenadines Agriculture Minister, Saboto Caesar importers and suppliers from Guyana who all concluded that there was sufficient Guyanese rice in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“There is no shortage. There was probably a miscommunication…We agreed that there is no shortage of rice from Guyana,” the Guyanese Agriculture Minister told Demerara Waves Online News.

The United Nations Comtrade Database says Guyana exported US$1.93 million worth of rice to St Vincent and the Grenadines during 2023.