Seeraj disputes reports of substandard RPA seed paddy
General Secretary of the Rice Producers’ Association (RPA) Dharamkumar Seeraj has confirmed that a farmer sold seed paddy by the association did encounter some issues with germination but he maintains that tests have found that nothing was wrong with it.
Through the Ministry of Agriculture, the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) had stated that rice farmers on the Essequibo Coast were telling different stories to “the one told in Parliament” last week by Seeraj.
Speaking to Stabroek News on Monday, Seeraj denied that he had made any claims about seed paddy in the National Assembly.
“Over the last six months, I have never said anything about germination of seeds. I didn’t. It is completely false. Some of the officers involved even listened to my entire budget presentation and didn’t hear [me] say anything of the sort,” Seeraj said.
A statement from the Agriculture Ministry added that Head of the Rice Farmers Association and Agriculture Coordinator of Region Two Naith Ram said he is currently making representation for several farmers who were sold seed paddy by the RPA.
The statement explained that “farmer Seecharran” from Land of Plenty visited Ram’s office and reported that he purchased 63 bags of “ten paddy” from the RPA, and after sowing, he found that none had germinated.
“I reported the matter to the Quality Control Manager, Ms. Allison Peters, and she intervened, and I was promised by the RPA that someone will visit the farmer. I was also promised that the seed paddy would be replaced but as far as I know the farmer is still waiting,” the statement quoted Ram saying.
It added that another farmer, Indarpaul Babulall, also related that he is waiting on replacement paddy from the RPA after being promised since the first crop in 2018.
“I bought thirty six bags of paddy from the RPA and I set de paddy fah shy and when I ready fa shy me see about 90 percent ah de paddy nah germinate,” the statement quoted the farmer saying.
It further stated that the farmer related that he had informed an RPA representative about the issue and after visiting his cultivation and examining the failed seeds, they promised to replace the paddy for the next crop.
However, Seeraj said, “A few weeks ago we received some reports about the farmer who bought paddy from us and that he has experienced some problems with germination. We sent our people to investigate, extension officers, and they went. The farmer still had some paddy left and they took some samples and told the farmer to do his own germination test.”
Seeraj added that the RPA took some samples back to their office and also ran a germination test and the data showed that the results were “excellent.”
“So we called the farmer in and we said look these are the results of the germination test. He said he would’ve gotten similar results too but when he do the big bulk in the field conditions, he was not getting anything. So there are a number of issues that can arise here. It could be that the quality of the water because there are a lot of chemicals being used in the sector now and if the water is muddy it will affect germination,” he added, while stating that the farmer has since agreed that the germination tests from both the RPA and his own produced similar results.
“We told him if he’s not comfortable with what he has we will take it back from him. But as to what he already used, he has seen the results and we have seen the results and by his own admission it was excellent. We said we will have to determine what happens there,” Seeraj further said.
In terms of other farmers complaining about similar issues, Seeraj noted that he has entrusted the RPA office to produce a report on the issues.
The statement from the Ministry added that a visit to the region was done last Friday by a team from the Ministry of Agriculture and the GRDB and it revealed “a different story.”
It said farmers were loud in their praise of the work being done in the region by the Extension Officers of the GRDB in providing quality seed paddy and extension services.
“In addition, rice farmers Deoraj Jaikarran of Golden Fleece and Ganesh known as ‘Hassa’ both were loud in their praise of the quality of paddy supplied to them by the GRDB. As a matter of fact, ‘Hassa’ said he has only had problems with germination this year when he bought paddy from the RPA. He too is still awaiting compensation by way of seed or cash and is contemplating legal actions if the RPA officials fail to act,” the statement added.