More than 2,000 rice farmers received nearly US$128,000 in crop-insurance claims during the first half of 2026 after above-normal rainfall affected production during the first crop.

According to the 2026 Mid-Year Report, this marked the first time the crop-insurance facility was accessed, with 2,068 farmers benefiting from claims associated with weather-related losses.

The payout comes as the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government continues to strengthen support mechanisms for rice farmers against production and market risks.

During the first half of the year, an additional $211.7 million was spent on interventions aimed at improving paddy cultivation. These included improved tillage, drone-based crop management, the introduction of new varieties, pest-control measures, nano fertiliser and certified seeds.

A new aromatic rice variety was also launched in March, while 100 acres were planted to produce seed for the second crop. Work also progressed on the digitisation of rice plots to improve real-time monitoring of field operations.

Beyond the insurance facility, the government distributed approximately $2.8 billion in direct support to 5,106 rice farmers covering 234,920 acres during the review period.

Farmers cultivating 50 acres or less received $15,000 per acre, while those cultivating more than 50 acres received $10,000 per acre. The cash-support programme has already been separately reported by DPI, with more than $2.76 billion distributed nationally.

Despite the effects of heavy rainfall, the rice subsector expanded by an estimated 4.4 per cent during the first half of 2026.

Production reached 414,088 tonnes of rice equivalent, compared with 410,194 tonnes during the corresponding period in 2025. Average yield also improved slightly from 6.6 tonnes per hectare during the first crop of 2025 to 6.7 tonnes per hectare this year.

Based on the stronger-than-anticipated first-half performance, the full-year production estimate has been revised upward to 827,838 tonnes of rice equivalent, while the subsector is projected to grow by 2.8 per cent in 2026.

Further support is expected during the second half of the year, including the planned construction of Guyana’s first climate-controlled rice storage hub in Region Two, with an intended capacity of 10,000 tonnes.

The government also intends to continue developing improved and biofortified rice varieties, promoting value-added rice products and identifying additional markets for paddy and rice.

Source - https://newsroom.gy