Rice at $4000 was Promised in March 2025. Rice at $3500 Promised in 2026. Is the Agri Ministry Exaggerating…?

As paddy prices recover, questions emerge over conflicting production figures, billions in government support and the search for export markets that can sustain Guyana’s growing rice industry.

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA, October 26, 2026 — Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha brought encouraging news to rice farmers at Big Biaboo, Region Five, on Sunday, announcing that paddy prices had increased to G$3,500 per bag and expressing optimism that prices could climb further.

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For farmers who have spent much of the past two years struggling with low prices, increasing production expenses and uncertainty over overseas buyers, the announcement offers some relief. But a closer examination of Guyana’s rice industry raises questions about how much farmers are actually earning, whether growing production is being matched by reliable markets, and how long the sector can depend on government assistance.