Jordan urges small rice farmers to target domestic market, diversify into cash crops

(Kaieteur News) – Former Finance Minister under the coalition government, Winston Jordan, has urged small rice farmers to focus on the domestic market, while encouraging some to diversify into cash crop production as a way of securing more reliable income.

Speaking during a recent podcast interview, Jordan said rice production has always had a commercial structure in which small farmers supply larger producers. However, he noted that despite this contribution, larger farmers remain heavily dependent on government support, including subsidies and drainage and irrigation services.

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“If you were to pull those things, those farmers wouldn’t be competitive, as they are not right now in the global market. In fact, neither sugar nor rice has ever been competitive without a secured international market or high prices. Beyond those, it is an industry that has to be heavily subsidised, whether it’s drainage and irrigation, farmers’ income and so on, to keep them going,” he stressed.