The exports increased by six per cent in volume and seven per cent in value when compared to the 325,052 tonnes sold for the same period last year.
General Manager of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Mr. Nizam Hassan, explained that there have been increases in several blocks where produce was delivered.
For those CARICOM countries including Dominica, St. Vincent and Jamaica, over 50,000 tonnes of rice was shipped at a cost of over US $25 million, compared to the 44,355 tonnes sold during January to August 2019.
Guyana has earned more than US$66 million from January to August 2020 for shipments to the European Union. In 2019, sales to the same location earned US$56 million, after 158,751 tonnes of rice was exported.
When 2019 and 2020 exports to Latin America are compared, statistics shows an eight and nine per cent decrease in volume and value respectively. Mr. Hassan said this is because Cuba did not receive any exports this year; while exports to countries such as Panama and Honduras decreased.
“But notwithstanding, they are other countries in which we did well. For example, we have sent 11,754 tonnes of rice to Colombia, compared to 2,204 tonnes in 2019. Exports to Venezuela was 90,328 this year and last year for the same period, we sold 74,912 tonnes,” he said.
Additionally, last year, the United States of America received 256 tonnes of rice, but the shipping amount increased to 3,006 tonnes this year.
