Discussions are being held with Venezuelan Rice officials to have the amount of rice and paddy being shipped into that country increased.
This is according to Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, who noted that Guyana is capable of supplying more than the contracted amount of paddy and rice to Venezuela.
The current contracted amount is 80,000 tonnes of paddy and 110,000 tonnes of white rice and according to Dr. Ramsammy, Guyana is capable of supplying more than this while meeting the demand locally, regionally and internationally.
The Agriculture Minister also noted that Venezuela is pleased with the way the trade of rice is being done.
He noted that Guyana has been able to eliminate many of factors that cause shipment delays and have created a level of efficiency and effectiveness that not only cuts cost but see faster shipments.
So far from the first crop Guyana has shipped over 36,000 tonnes of paddy and over 35,000 tonnes of white rice to Venezuela. [Akash Ramlackhan]
