Guyana Rice Production Expanding

Guyana harvested a record amount of rice in 2014/15. USDA’s May production estimate is 974,000 metric tons (MT) of rough production and 633,000 MT milled. Production has increased rapidly from 555,000 MT rough just four years ago. For 2014/2015, Guyana harvested 195,000 hectares (Ha), up from 136,000 Ha four years ago. In 2014/15, a near record national yield of 4.99 metric tons per hectare rough rice was harvested. Better rice varieties and more land placed into production helped raise production; furthermore, the rice crop generally received favorable rainfall in 2014/15.

The first crop of rice is planted in December through January with harvest commencing in March and finishing by the end of May. A second crop of rice is planted in May through July with harvest from September through November. Satellite imagery analysis showed high peak Normalized Difference Vegetation Indices (NDVI) for first and second crops in 2014/15. The high peak NDVI was indicative of good crop condition at flowering and of the high yields that were recorded. A high NDVI was also recorded for the first crop 2015/16, for which final yields are yet to be evaluated. Landsat images from December 2010 and 2014 show expansion of rice area, and the location of flooded rice paddies.

Much of the rice in Guyana is produced along the coastal region and along tidal rivers flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. Recent re-building of flood barriers and better irrigation structures for rice fields were also helpful in increasing rice output. Within Guyana, the Sea Defense Unit monitors flood barriers and helps with flood prevention activities in areas where flooding occurs. Recently, high tides in excess of 3.3 meters occurred along the ocean coast and tidal rivers of Guyana, but damage was mitigated this year. These areas have recently been shored up with levees to prevent flooding of the rice crop. Flooding by salt water has both short-term and long-term effects on rice production. In the short term, salt intrusion onto rice fields can affect next year’s yield and can lower long-term soil productivity. (For additional information, contact Dr. Denise McWilliams, crop production analyst for South America, 202-720-0107).

Much of the rice production in Guyana is along the coastal region and along rivers exiting

toward the ocean. High tides can cause salt intrusion on soils of croplands.

Visit Crop Explorer http://www.pecad.fas.usda.gov/cropexplorer

Current USDA area and production estimates for grains and other agricultural commodities are available on IPAD's Agricultural Production page or at PSD Online.