Guyana on Tuesday officially launched its first locally developed aromatic rice variety, with Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha declaring that the new ‘Guymati’ GRDB-19 strain has the potential to significantly boost farmers’ earnings by tapping into lucrative international markets where prices can reach as high as US$1,200 per tonne.
At the launch, which took place at the farm of Gowkarran Dindiyal at De Hoop, Branch Road, Mahaica, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Mustapha underscored the growing global demand for aromatic rice and positioned the new variety as central to the transformation of Guyana’s rice industry, noting that the crop offers farmers an opportunity to move beyond traditional production into higher-value markets.
He urged farmers across the country to begin cultivating the new strain, emphasising that even small plots dedicated to aromatic rice could significantly improve their overall returns.
“This variety has the potential of selling between 600 and US$1200 per ton,” Mustapha said, as he highlighted the significant price advantage aromatic rice holds over conventional varieties currently exported from Guyana.
He further declared that “the future of the rice industry is the aromatic variety,” signalling a clear policy direction toward higher-value production as the country seeks to maximise returns from its rice sector.
Encouraging widespread adoption, the minister said he wants to see the new variety cultivated nationwide, urging farmers to dedicate portions of their lands to aromatic rice as part of a broader shift toward high-value crops.
Meanwhile, providing insight into the development of the new variety, Chief Scientist and Plant Breeder at the Guyana Rice Development Board, Dr Mahindra Persaud, explained that work on aromatic rice has been ongoing for more than a decade as part of efforts to position Guyana in the premium segment of the global rice market.
“This is one of our research that has been going on since 2010… the development of an aromatic rice variety,” Persaud said, noting that such varieties are highly sought after internationally due to their quality and price.
He added that farmers stand to benefit significantly since “they don’t have to put any additional inputs… it’s just the additional income that you’ll get,” pointing out that the production practices remain largely the same while returns are higher.
On performance, Dr Persaud said the variety has demonstrated strong yields, noting that on average, you could get 6 to 8 tons per hectare, placing it close to existing varieties while offering a higher market value.
Among those who have already tested the new variety is farmer Gowkarran Dindial of De Hoop Branch Road, Mahaica, who cultivated several acres and expressed confidence in its performance.
“I think that’s a breakthrough for rice farmers,” Dindial said, as he reflected on the potential benefits the aromatic variety could bring to the sector.
He noted that the crop performs well under varying conditions, explaining that “it stands up to the weather… no lodging,” which is a key concern for farmers, particularly during the rainy season.
Dindial also described the yield as “very, very impressive,” adding that the crop matures within a comparable timeframe of about 105 to 110 days.
Notwithstanding that, Dr Persaud noted that to fully realise the premium value of aromatic rice, farmers and millers will need to adopt careful handling practices, including growing, milling, and marketing the variety separately to avoid contamination with conventional rice.
He added that initial preparations are already underway, with approximately 6,000 bags of seed paddy available, as Guyana begins positioning the new variety for both local cultivation and international markets.
The launch of GRDB-19 comes amid growing efforts by local authorities to diversify Guyana’s rice industry and tap into higher-value export markets.
Guyana’s push into aromatic rice is the result of years of sustained research and investment by the Guyana Rice Development Board, with breeding work on the newly launched variety dating back to around 2010 and supported by extensive field trials across multiple rice-growing regions. In recent months, the variety has been tested in dozens of farmers’ fields, as authorities moved closer to introducing a product aimed at positioning the country within the premium segment of the global rice market.
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