Jamaica To Import 30,000 Tonnes Of Rice To Prevent Shortfall What About Barbados?

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Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dreams I saw [seven heads] of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. after them, seven others sprouted - withered and thin and sorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the [seven] good heads……….”. Then Joseph said to Pharaoh,”God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are [seven years] of famine. [Seven years] of great abundance are coming throughout the land……..but [seven years] of famine will followed.” [ Gen:41:22-30]

Jamaica is taking no chances. It is securing 30,000 tonnes of imported rice for its people for the next 6 months. And this has nothing to do with Guyana. The two has been at loggerheads on Guyana ability to adequately supply Jamaica with rice shipments under a prevailing agreement.

So Jamaica’s Minister of Industry, Commerce and Investment, Karl Samuda had this to say.

“We will not place consumers at risk.”

The matter to go before the Caricom Council for trade and Economic Development [COTED] meeting next month will see Jamaica arguing “the case. But make no mistake about it, on my watch, as Minister [with] responsibility fro protecting the interests of consumers, I will not bend for an inch in my resolve to ensure that we protect our consumers.

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Very strong words indeed. Which leads me to ask a question or two. Do we have any rice reserves on this fair island of ours?. Are the importers increasing their orders to make up for the coming short fall?. Do we have the warehouse space to store let’s say 10,000 tonnes of rice?.

Rice exporting countries - India, Vietnam, China, Egypt, Cambodia and Brazil - have stopped overseas shipments to secure local markets. Thailand, the biggest rice exporter have not made that decision but instead is proposing a rice cartel with other Asian countries in principle to manage rice price-fixing.

It is my understanding that we import most if not all of our rice from the States. Already Sam’s Club [Wal-Mart] and Costco Wholesale have started rationing rice to consumers. The Asian, Hispanic and Haitians communities are stocking up on rice. [see article] . We wrote an article in relation to a Nation story on Hill Milling inability to sustain employment for its workers that work in the rice production section of the mill because of the previous BLP government decision to remove duties on pre-packaged rice only excluding bulk rice. Since then I have not  follow up to that story as the owner was seeking an urgent meeting with this present DLP adminitration to address a rather lopsided decision. [see article]

We need to know the importers and government position on this issue. What are they doing to safeguard rice and other staples that we so depend on. Are they going to wait until there is no more rice to secure from the US market before increasing their quotas or be left running around in circles trying to find their heads from their tails.

See previous article - World On The Brink Of Food Shortage!!! - 10 More Years of Expensive Food: Says UN

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Tags: Barbados, food crisis, food shortages, Guyana, Jamaica