Jamaica, Guyana row over rice

[evanovitch]

bbc.com
Charges and counter charges are being traded between Jamaica and Guyana over a decision by Jamaica to import rice from the United States.
Industry and Commerce Minister Karl Samuda has sought to defend his decision to import rice from Louisiana in the United States in the wake of a reported shortage of rice in Guyana, Jamaica's main supplier.

Mr. Samuda was responding to Guyana's Agriculture Minister, Robert Persaud who expressed disappointment with the Jamaican government's decision to import rice from outside CARICOM.

Mr Samuda told journalists recently that Guyana's inability to supply Jamaica with rice meant that for the first time in decades, the country would be forced to buy from outside the region.

He said this information was shared with officials in Guyana.

But according to Mr Persaud, his country received no such information.

Import Tariff

Mr. Samuda said his market report was based on reporters from rice importers.

But Mr. Persaud insisted that suppliers in Guyana had never failed to meet the requirements of Jamaican importers.

Additionally, he stated that any rice imported from Louisiana must attract the relevant Common External Tarrif (CET) for imports outside the Caribbean common market.

Mr. Samuda expressed surprise at the statement out of Guyana.

Mr Persaud said he hoped to meet with local officials prior to a meeting of Caricom agriculture ministers in Jamaica in early October.

[johnnycakes]

Re: Jamaica, Guyana row over rice

I googled U.S. rice subsidies and this was the first article on the subject.

April 11, 2005
Oxfam Hits Out At US Rice Subsidies
By Carl Mortished, International Business Editor


Massive handouts to US farmers to support uneconomic rice production, which totalled $1.3 billion in 2003, have created a major American export industry that is putting poor farmers in the Third World out of business, the charity said in a report on food dumping, published today.

According to Oxfam, American rice, which cost on average $415 (£220) a tonne to produce, is being sold in countries, such as Haiti, Ghana and Honduras at just $274 a tonne. This is a third less than its true cost, elbowing out local rice farmers who cannot compete with the subsidised American exporters.

The report, Kicking Down The Door, points to Riceland Foods, an Arkansas farmers’ co-operative, which is the biggest recipient of subsidies, pocketing $490 million between 1995 and 2003. Riceland’s profits rose by $123 million (£65.3 million) last year, states the report, because of a surge in exports, mainly to Cuba and Haiti. Companies such as Riceland can compete because the US taxpayer pays two thirds of the cost of production, says Oxfam, enabling US farmers to rank third in global rice exports, dumping some 3.8 million tonnes of rice on the world market.

America exports as much rice as Vietnam although it costs twice as much to produce and mill the crop in the world’s richest nation. Phil Bloomer, head of Oxfam’s campaign for fair trade, said: “This is an example of rigged rules and double standards at their baldest . . . It is scandalous that poor countries are forced to compete with the US. Worse still, they are denied the opportunity to defend themselves from dumping.”

Related Links
The West's bitter harvest
Many poor countries have been forced to lower tariff barriers that protected their rice farmers, as a result of pressure from the World Bank, the IMF and bilateral trade agreements with the US. Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere, where half of all children are malnourished, was encouraged by the IMF in 1995 to cut its rice import tariff from 35 per cent to 3 per cent.

The cut almost tripled its imports with 95 per cent of rice sourced from the US while Haiti’s 50,000 rice farmers saw their share of the market plummet. Today, says Oxfam, three out of every four plates of rice in Haiti come from US farms, bankrolled by US taxpayers.

Oxfam is concerned that poor countries will lose again in the horse-trading at this autumn’s WTO ministerial summit in Hong Kong, and fears the removal of protection for poor farmers.

“Poor countries have been forced to liberalise trade faster and deeper than any industrial power in history. They are tired of this shock therapy,” said Mr Bloomer.

[johnnycakes]

Re: Jamaica, Guyana row over rice

more on this from Caribbean Net News:


Rice dispute with Jamaica can be resolved, says Guyana's president
Published on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 Email To Friend Print Version

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA): The issue of Jamaica deciding to import rice from the United States on the basis that Guyana is unable to meet its supply, can be resolved simply, according to Guyana's President Bharrat Jagdeo.

“I think that the rice matter could easily be sorted out. I get the impression that Jamaica will respect CARICOM arrangements; they (Jamaica) said they asked around here before they took the decision to import there (US). We have some differences in views on that because on our side they are saying that they have the ability to supply the Jamaican market,” Jagdeo said.

Jagdeo said Guyana must ensure that the new government of Jamaica understands the system.


Guyana President Bharrat Jagdeo. AFP PHOTO
“I thought that we had a settled mechanism, but with a new government, we need to ensure that they understand that the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) should be approached and should say whether there is enough rice to supply the market or whether we cannot supply at that point in time and therefore, we would offer the waiver,” Jagdeo said.

Guyana is hopeful that it will be able to export 10,000 tonnes more of rice than last year.

“Last year we exported something like 43,700 tonnes of rice to Jamaica. This year we are hoping to export 54,000 tonnes to Jamaica. So we will be 10.000 tonnes above of what we exported last year. Price varies a bit but it’s an important issue and I think that there is enough goodwill in Jamaica to have this resolved at the level of our Ministers and officials. Jamaica is an important market for Guyana,” Jagdeo emphasised.

Guyana supplies about 50, 000 tonnes of rice to Jamaica while the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has granted Jamaica a waiver for the importation of 65, 000 tonnes of paddy to be milled in the country. This amounts to approximately 45, 000 tonnes of rice, which when combined with the amount exported from Guyana, totals about 80,000 tonnes.


More news from Jamaica...

[Blackstar*]

Re: Jamaica, Guyana row over rice

Does JA grow its own rice at all?

[Dr.Dudd]

Re: Jamaica, Guyana row over rice

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BlackStar</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Does JA grow its own rice at all? </div></div>
No Jamaica reverted it's former rice growing areas as 'wet lands'.
To the sastisfaction of the nature wordhippers.

[Blackstar*]

Re: Jamaica, Guyana row over rice

Now that there are shortages and prices are going up, this story takes on a whole new light. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

[evanovitch]

Re: Jamaica, Guyana row over rice

mi spot di mews before it reach daily tomgue wagging dont ? [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/704555_dwl.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

[Blackstar*]

Re: Jamaica, Guyana row over rice

"Prophetess" evanovitch. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img]

[neutral]

Re: Jamaica, Guyana row over rice

Typical !!!


While other countries argue over international ballistic missiles,or star wars,or billion pound trade agreements,Jamaica argue over.......rice.

Next wi aggo hear seh dem an nex country ketch up ovah chicken back.

[evanovitch]

Re: Jamaica, Guyana row over rice

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BlackStar</div><div class="ubbcode-body">"Prophetess" evanovitch. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img] </div></div>

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Many poor countries have been forced to lower tariff barriers that protected their rice farmers, as a result of pressure from the World Bank, the IMF and bilateral trade agreements with the US. Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere, where half of all children are malnourished, was encouraged by the IMF in 1995 to cut its rice import tariff from 35 per cent to 3 per cent.

The cut almost tripled its imports with 95 per cent of rice sourced from the US while Haiti’s 50,000 rice farmers saw their share of the market plummet. Today, </div></div>

now u know dat my state of residence is one of the primary source of US rice production....the farming area has been sooooo plummetted wid rain etc dat even rice dat need nuff wata naw survice...we were trying to get more market share in China but have been rebuffed fi awhile ....

so rice gwine to be expensive given wat happening here wid dis source...so u can imagine the fight fi world source and the way said fight gwine to push up prices...dat is why Guyana want to not have to lock in promises wid dem rice supply...dem want to be able to sell to di highest bidder..an memba dat Guyana is not really Caribbean so dem nat Caricom really..dem is SA an ongle cause dem is di ongle English speaker on SA , why we always 'include' dem in di WI..so dem loyalty is really to demself

food commodities is the next investment playgrung u know...

[Blackstar*]

Re: Jamaica, Guyana row over rice

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Newtral</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Typical !!!


While other countries argue over international ballistic missiles,or star wars,or billion pound trade agreements,Jamaica argue over.......rice.

Next wi aggo hear seh dem an nex country ketch up ovah chicken back. </div></div>
That could very well happen. You can't eat missiles and food prices are rising beyond the reach of the poor and even middle class.

[Blackstar*]

Re: Jamaica, Guyana row over rice

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: evanovitch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The cut almost tripled its imports with 95 per cent of rice sourced from the US while Haiti’s 50,000 rice farmers saw their share of the market plummet. </div></div>
Now Haitian's can't afford foreign rice, their own farmers probably went out of business and people are eating dirt cakes. It's truly sickening.

[evanovitch]

Re: Jamaica, Guyana row over rice

and the irony is dat the US now imports more foodstuff dan it cultivates...mek u tink dont as to di claim of collusion across a worldwide basis fi dis one world rule ting [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img] di deliberate culling of populations to bring di worl pop dung to a manageable numba... [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

okay mi lissening to art bell an george koory too much dont [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/704555_dwl.gif[/img] but seriously, some strange tings happening fi real

[Blackstar*]

Re: Jamaica, Guyana row over rice

Di sed ting mi was saying to miself - dem waan fi kill awf black people.

[mountaingal]

Re: Jamaica, Guyana row over rice

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: evanovitch</div><div class="ubbcode-body">so rice gwine to be expensive given wat happening here wid dis source...so u can imagine the fight fi world source and the way said fight gwine to push up prices...dat is why Guyana want to not have to lock in promises wid dem rice supply...dem want to be able to sell to di highest bidder..an memba dat Guyana is not really Caribbean so dem nat Caricom really..dem is SA an ongle cause dem is di ongle English speaker on SA , why we always 'include' dem in di WI..so dem loyalty is really to demself
</div></div>

Caricom started in 72 and Guyana been a member since 73, so it's probably a little unjust to imply it's in Caricom caw the other member states sorry feet, no?

i think the jamaican government is being a little shortsighted in putting price over strategic partnership (if, in fact, price is the driving factor, i would hope its at least that and not some misguided effort to suck up to the states).

Caricom and the market interests of its individual states are better served by unity and not being picked off individually (divide and conquer).