JANUARY 6, 2011 BY GUYANA TIMES
Berbicians are concerned with the rising price for rice on the market, with some residents saying that the price for the grain rose during the Christmas week and has remained there.
An elderly resident, Doris Joseph, 78 of Vryheid, New Amsterdam related to Guyana Times that she was concerned with the rise in prices for white and brown rice, since she was a pensioner and had to maintain her grandchild. She said white rice currently is being sold for $ 500 a gallon, and brown rice for $ 600 a gallon. Previously it was sold for a $ 100 less.
She noted that she cooks white rice everyday as part of her diet, and has to purchase at least 2 1/ 2 gallon of rice per week. She added that it has become difficult for her to do so now, since she has to survive on a meager pension. She said she heard the price would regulate, but that has not happened thus far.
Dato Sarjoo, another resident of East Bank Berbice related that apart from coping with the rising rice price, the price for vegetables and other food items were on an upward rise, compounding the fact that she is unable to afford a proper balanced diet for her family. The woman noted that even though the New Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) and the Agriculture Ministry were asking persons to purchase from the New GMC truck selling rice to avoid being ripped off by small retailers and shopkeepers; they still had to pay the same price to both parties.
When Guyana Times visited the New Amsterdam Market, the price for white rice stood at $ 440 while the price for brown rice was $ 550.
Before the price rose, white rice was sold for $ 340 and brown rice $ 480.
Stall owner of B 26- 27 Olga, related that consumers however are not reluctant to purchase now, but had enquired about the rise when it first rose.
Rawan Singh another rice consumer related that he had no problem with paying the price for rice “as long as it did not cost too much.” He added that farmers too needed to earn a living and it was only fair that the price of price rose to ensure they can make a reasonable livelihood.
In a release, the New Guyana Marketing Corporation said that the government of Guyana through the corporation undertook an Anti- Price Gouging Exercise to stabilize the price for rice and sugar following reports of wholesalers and distributors increasing the prices for these commodities.
The initial phase of this activity was executed in December 2010 in Regions 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10.
Guyana Marketing Corporation’s trucks sold white rice at $ 400 per gallon, brown rice at $ 540 per gallon and sugar at $ 60 per pound to residents.
Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud stated that this activity would continue indefinitely and had instructed the Guyana Rice Development Board and GuySuCo’s officials to monitor the situation closely.
Distributors found hoarding or selling the two commodities at high prices would have their quotas (in the case of sugar) reviewed. Many consumers were extremely pleased with this intervention by the Ministry of Agriculture, especially since the initial phase was executed a few days prior to the Christmas holidays, the release stated.