JAMAICA-TRADE-Jamaica and Guyana settle rice row

 

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC - The row between Jamaica and Guyana over the suspension of Common External Tariff (CET) on rice to enable Kingston to import the staple from outside the region has been settled.          

  

This latest development follows talks between Prime Minister Bruce Golding and Guyana's President Bharrat Jagdeo on Tuesday morning.

 

Industry and Commerce Minister Karl Samuda said the news was good for Jamaican consumers since it meant there would be no shortage of rice in the country.

 

"I had the discussion later with President Jagdeo who says he will not oppose our application for the suspension (of the CET) on 9,000 tonnes, which are on the way and due to arrive on May 20, and that we in turn we would give a guarantee to purchase from Guyana 60,000 tonnes per annum," he said in Parliament.

 

Guyana has also committed to supplying Jamaica with 14,000 tonnes of rice in two weeks in addition to the nearly 3,000 tonnes on the way.

 

Two weeks ago Samuda announced that Jamaica would seek a waiver of the CET in order to import rice to satisfy local demand.
 

The move was then criticised by Guyana which insisted it had enough rice to export to its Caribbean neighbour.

In the first quarter of this year Jamaica imported close to 19,000 tonnes of rice from outside the region after Guyana acknowledged that it was unable to supply the Jamaican market.   

 

Two large Jamaican importers recently signed agreements to import rice from the United States.
 

CMC/kb/dmb/08