§ Mr. Braineasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made in implementing the recommendation of the Economic Co-operation Administration Rice Mission to British Guiana which was published in 1950.
§ Mr. LytteltonThe following action has been taken on the Report of the Mission:
1. POTENTIAL AREAS OF PADI PRODUCTION
Water control measures are being introduced as rapidly as money and equipment permit. Present plans are to carry out first the Boerasirie Scheme, then Blocks I and II in the Courentyne, and later, the Tapakuma Scheme in Essequibo. In the meantime, encouraged by the more favourable prices, farmers are planting extensive new lands, in unoccupied areas within existing water control schemes, and also in areas where no water control exists.2. SYSTEMS OF FARMING
A padi-livestock rotation system on the lines suggested in the Report is under trial at 185W Mahaicony-Abary. Experiments are also being carried out in the use of alternative or rotational crops such as soya bean, cotton and leguminous forage.3. MECHANISATION OF PRODUCTION
There has been an increase in the amount of farm machinery and an improvement in its care since the Report was written. The training of persons in the use of machinery at the Mahaicony-Abary Mechanised Farm is being considered by the Rice Producers' Association and the Board of Control of the Farm. No Government hire service system has been started, except for small farmers on Government estates, as private enterprise appears to be catering for the general needs. The supply of suitable equipment is a limiting factor.Mechanisation of the small cultivator
More small farmers on Government-owned estates are being provided with machinery, at economic rates.
Large scale mechanised farming
It has been decided that, apart from Onverwagt, which is being developed as part of the Mahaicony-Abary Scheme, Government will not start further large scale farming schemes. A number of private persons are developing farms up to 1,000 acres with the help of machinery.
Harvesting and threshing the crop
The reluctance of local farmers to use threshing machines is slowly being overcome and more threshers will no doubt come into use in due course. A small portable thresher, as recommended in the Report, has been imported, but farmers have not taken to it readily.
Drying and Storage
This is being fully considered in connection with the central mills since it is recognised that padi reaped by a combine harvester must be dried immediately. Bag handling of padi is at present cheaper than the bulk storage and bulk handling recommended in the Report.
4. VARIETAL IMPROVEMENT
The importance of varietal improvement is fully recognised. The Economic Botanist of the Department of Agriculture is visiting the United States under a Mutual Security Agency Scheme to study methods there. On his return plans will be made to extend and improve the facilities for rice breeding. A new variety which has better characteristics than varieties in current use, although far from ideal, is being distributed for commercial production for the first time this year.5. RED RICE CONTROL
Extensive experiments are being conducted on the Mahaicony-Abary Mechanised Farm. Equipment for determining the incidence of red rice is now available there. The Pure Line Seed Padi Scheme is being reorganised with a view to increasing the amount of pure seed used by farmers.6. DISEASES, INSECTS AND RODENTS
The services of an entomologist to study rice pests in the Colony, and particularly Ghandi Fly, have been made available from 186W the Colonial Pool of Entomologists established under the Commonwealth Institute of Entomology. The problem of rat control is also receiving attention.7. THE MILLING INDUSTRY
Plans are in hand for establishing two large mills, one in Essequibo and one in the Courentyne, on the lines recommended in the Report, in addition to the one already operating at Mahaicony-Abary. Subsequently, the building of further mills will be considered. The improvement of the small private mills is also under consideration. Funds are not available for the research recommended on artificial driers for parboiled badi.8. MARKETING
There are many difficulties in the way of introducing the standard grades for padi recommended in the Report, and the cost of appointing a sufficient number of Government officers to do the grading would be prohibitive. At two Government controlled mills, namely, Mahaicony-Abary and Anna Regina, moisture testers are now used for determining moisture content of padi which is bought at a standard moisture content. The former mill is now equipped for sorting padi into grades determined by the percentage of damaged, broken and discoloured grain present, and the bulk of the padi purchased there is graded first. Before 1951, the narrow margin between padi price and rice price did not permit millers to pay much more than the minimum price for padi. The wider margin now established enables a miller to pay a premium price for better grade padi. As central mills are introduced, it may be possible to fix standard grades of padi, but already the price differential based on personal grading is stimulating the production of high quality.Ways of improving the quality of parboiled rice are being examined by the Rice Marketing Board and the Department of Agriculture.9. TRANSPORTATION
This question is being closely considered in relation to the development programme for new areas and the establishment of central mills. The reconstruction on an all-weather standard of the 50-mile road along the Courentyne Coast, which is an important new rice producing area, is proceeding, and it is expected that it will be completed by the end of this year.
§ 84. Mr. R. Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can now announce the steps to be taken to develop the rice industry of British Guiana.
§ Mr. LytteltonThe three drainage and irrigation schemes referred to in my reply to the hon. Member for Billericay (Mr. Braine) today aim to bring an additional 70,000 acres under rice cultivation and substantially increase production from land already under rice. Only one of these schemes has yet been submitted to me in detail and that is under urgent 187W examination. Two more schemes, making five in all, are under consideration in the Colony.
The discussions with the Colonial Development Corporation for their participation in rice production, referred to in my reply to the hon. Member on 14th November, have not yet been concluded.
§ Mr. T. Reidasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the prospects of increasing the rice supply of British Guiana by the five schemes now envisaged; and if he will make a statement regarding these schemes.
§ Mr. LytteltonI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given above to my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, South (Mr. R. Robinson).
The three drainage and irrigation schemes referred to in my reply to the hon. Member for Billericay (Mr. Braine) today aim to bring an additional 70,000 acres under rice cultivation and substantially increase production from land already under rice. Only one of these schemes has yet been submitted to me in detail, and that is under urgent examination. Two more schemes, making five in all, are under consideration in the Colony. The discussions with the Colonial Development Corporation for their participation in rice production, referred to in my reply to the hon. Member for Blackpool, South on 14th November, have not yet been concluded.