Reg Five rice farmers get $1.18B relief

July 8 2026

Hundreds of rice farmers from Region Five on Wednesday received financial assistance as the Government continued its relief programme aimed at supporting the rice industry.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha led the distribution of relief cheques, fulfilling a commitment made by President Dr. Irfaan Ali during a consultation with rice farmers at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre in April.

The initiative was introduced as a targeted intervention to assist rice producers as the industry faces mounting challenges, including rising production costs, global market pressures and other factors affecting agricultural operations.

Under the programme, farmers cultivating 50 acres or less are receiving $10,000 per acre.

In Region Five, a total of 1,387 rice farmers cultivating 104,519 acres are expected to benefit from $1.18 billion in relief assistance.

The Government has said the initiative forms part of its continued efforts to provide support to farmers and strengthen the resilience of the rice sector.