By Tusika MartinThe higher export commission on rice will be reinstituted if it is found that farmers are not benefiting from this initiative,NFL Jerseys Cheap, Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, said yesterday.He was meeting with rice millers. Noticeably absent again was the Mahaicony Rice Mills Limited.During the meeting, General Secretary of the Rice Producers’ Association (RPA), Dharamkumar Seeraj,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, said that in most instances the commitment by millers for farmers to benefit from the lowering of the export commission on rice has not been met.On March 5,China Jerseys Cheap, last, the Minister reduced the export commission on rice from US$10 to US$4 in an effort to have millers offer farmers a much more competitive price for paddy.This reduction represented a $240M slash from the Guyana Rice Development Board’s ‘development fund.’Yesterday, the RPA General Secretary urged the Minister to review the decision on the lowered tax.He said that once the tax is reinstituted then that money could be spent to improve the services of the sector since farmers are complaining that they are not benefiting from the fruits of that reduction.“It was not having much of an impact on the prices that farmers are getting…Generally, it has not impacted on the prices and so we might as well put it on back and use that money to improve the sector,Wholesale Cheap NFL Football Jerseys,” Seeraj said.Minister Persaud said that the Guyana Rice Development Board is currently consulting with stakeholders to determine whether farmers are indeed not getting the benefiting of the reduction.From reports, he said, there is an indication that some farmers are indeed benefiting but then such reports are still considered inconclusive.“The indication I am getting is mixed…in some areas we have seen that the price has dipped. If the farmers are not benefiting then I will reinstitute it immediately.”The analysis, Minister Persaud said, is currently ongoing. “It is not conclusive as yet but if they say it’s a benefit like we had agreed then it would not be an issue but if that does not happen then we would have to review the decision,” Persaud said.At yesterday’s meeting, the uncertainty of the price of rice on the world market was again raised by millers, who could not give the Minister any assurances that the situation with the low prices being paid to farmers will turn for the better. Peter DeGroot,Authentic NFL Jerseys Wholesale, a miller from Fairfield, Mahaicony, told the Minister that no matter what price the millers offer for paddy, farmers are not satisfied.“We have to accept that no miller, in his right mind, will pay a price that is lower than he can afford because he depends on that farmer for his livelihood.”Millers have to safeguard themselves from any reduction of prices on the world market, he said.He added that the notion that millers are out to ‘fleece the farmers from whatever they can get from them’ is a fallacy. Rice production globally has increased causing an impact on prices.There is a projection that the global rice stock will increase by as much as five percent during 2009.Other issues that were raised at yesterday’s meeting included transportation problems, cartel arrangements by millers, concerns of possible delays in exports because of Customs Anti Narcotics Unit exercises and overseas market access.Early in March, Minister Persaud had to intervene in a dispute between rice farmers and millers.Farmers were at the time expressing frustration with the low price for paddy being offered whilst the millers were holding out that they could not have paid good prices for the commodity.Farmers were calling for more competition within the sector, as they believe that millers are holding them to ransom.During the almost explosive situation, Persaud had urged that the situation requires both sides working together since the entire industry can collapse once unreasonable demands are made.