Guyana realizará primer envío de exportación de arroz a Venezuela

Guyana making first shipment of rice for 2014 to Venezuela

Guyana says it expects to make its first shipment of rice this year to Venezuela on Tuesday April 22.Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said the shipment of 6,000 tonnes of paddy will be followed another shipment two days later. This year’s initial rice shipments were delayed due to the civil unrest in Venezuela

He said Georgetown expects to ship an estimated 100,000 tonnes of rice and paddy to the Spanish-speaking neighbouring country by the end of April.

Guyana expects to be making two shipments a week to Caracas until November this year as part of the 200,000 tonnes agreement.

The rice pact was initiated in 2010 between former president Bharrat Jagdeo and the late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez. The agreement aims to strengthen food security in both countries.

In 2011, Guyana signed a US$54 million agreement with Venezuela to supply 50,000 metric tonnes of paddy at US$520 per metric tonne, and 20,000 metric tonnes of white rice at US$800 per metric tonne.

Last year the country exported US$130 million worth of rice to Venezuela.

http://www.caribbean360.com/news/guyana-making-first-shipment-of-rice-for-2014-to-venezuela