NEW AMSTERDAM, BERBICE – Region Six has recorded an increased production for this yearâ??s second rice crop – the autumn crop.Last week, Regional Chairman Zulfikar Mustapha indicated that 32,[url=http://www.cheapjerseysauthenticonline.us@#$%&/wholesale-chicago-cubs-jersey-china-97-wt/]Chicago Cubs Jerseys[/url],500 acres were planted in the first crop – the spring crop – for 2008; and for this present crop, the figure swelled to 37,000 acres for areas across East Berbice /Corentyne.For the first time, a larger production is coming from New Forest and Crabwood Creek. According to him,[url=http://www.nfljerseyscheapsale.us@#$%&/]Wholesale NFL Jerseys[/url], 200 acres were planted in the entire New Forest area, and Crabwood Creek saw a 1,000-acre increase.Other areas to up production were Number Fifty-two/Seventy-Four villages and the four schemes comprising Black Bush Polder and the front lands between Bloomfield and Number Fifty-One.Mr. Mustapha said that 43,000 acres were targeted to be cultivated this crop but, as a result of the heavy rainfall and sogginess in the fields, some farmers were unable to plant.He cited an enhanced drainage and irrigation system now in place in East Berbice /Corentyne as being responsible for the achievement.â??We have seen massive works taking place at the outfalls at Number Forty-Three, Eversham and Adventure. There, we cleared vegetation on the banks of these outfalls and excavated them.â??That exercise was done at a cost of some $20 million, and was a joint venture between the Regional Administration and the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority.Work was also completed on drainage and irrigation canals in Numbers Forty-Six, Forty-Seven and Forty-Eight villages, where approximately 3,000 rods were rehabilitated.Other drainage and irrigation work was done at Bengal and Eversham, where both cash crop and rice farmers saw some relief.The Regional Chairman said that earthen work is now ongoing on the Numbers One and Two Side Line at Crabwood Creek.â??We are assisting the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority to complete the Agriculture Support Service programme. These are the two main drainage canals in Crabwood Creek. Upon completion, you will see another 2,000 acres being taken up there for rice cultivation.â??The Regional Chairman said other areas where work is in progress include Bloomfield,[url=http://www.wholesalesportsjerseys.us@#$%&/]NFL Jerseys Supply[/url], Letter Kenny and Whim, and by next week the excavators are expected to move to Fyrish and the East Bank of Berbice.â??With all this work on in those canals mentioned, Region Six will be in a position to cultivate about 45,000 acres of rice by 2009.â??This, he said, would in the long run create more jobs for persons in the region, and is expected to result in more farmers returning to the land. â??With all this happening, we would see an upsurge in economic activities in East Berbice /Corentyne.â??In a previous interview, President of the Guyana Rice Producers Association, Leekha Rambrich, had indicated that farmers were experiencing a difficult time gaining access to their fields. He had also anticipated that the cost of production for this autumn crop would have been higher.Mr. Rambrich had said that, in 2007, the yield for the spring crop was 27 bags per acre, and this year it increased to 30 bags.The yearâ??s spring crop ended in mid-May, and the autumn crop commenced during the first week in June, even as farmers were still reaping the first crop.Across Region Six, East Berbice /Corentyne, 31,000 areas were planted for the spring crop; and for this autumn crop, 43,[url=http://www.cheapjerseysauthenticonline.us@#$%&/white-sox-7-jeff-keppinger-white-cool-base-stitched-mlb-jersey-24-hc.html]Jeff Keppinger White Sox Jersey[/url],000 acres were targeted.In 2007, the figure for the spring crop was 28,[url=http://www.cheapjerseysfan.us@#$%&/]Authentic Jerseys Cheap[/url],900 acres.It was estimated that 38,000 acres would have been planted for the spring crop this year, but Region Six fell short of the target.Generally, East Berbice/Corentyne has a total of 70,000 acres of rice land for cultivation, but due to poor drainage and irrigation,[url=http://www.salecheapjerseys.us@#$%&/White-cool-5-johnny-mlb-jersey-stitched-reds-base-bench-79-ag/]Johnny Bench Reds Jersey[/url], just 42,000 acres have been used in the past.In Black Bush Polder there are 17,000 acres of land available for the cultivation of rice, but of this, only 13,700 acres were planted for the spring crop.In the Number Fifty-Two/Seventy-Four areas, along with Crabwood Creek and other Upper Corentyne communities,[url=http://www.cheapnfljerseysmr.us@#$%&/]Jerseys NFL Wholesale China Online[/url], 18,000 acres are available and only 12,500 were cultivated in the spring crop.In the Number Fifty-One/Rose Hall front lands, along with the East Bank of Berbice, Borlam, East and West Canje areas, 17,200 acres are available but only 4,800 were used for the spring crop.Of that figure, the East Bank of Berbice, Borlam, and East and West Canje areas cultivated approximately 1,000 acres of rice land for the said spring crop.Figures for the autumn crop are still being processed, since the farmers are still reaping the crop.