4N Hardware Stores wins contract for paddy drying and storage plant
The plant's three silos will hold 10,000 metric tonnes and its two dryers about 1,000 tonnes of paddy a day, the Department of Public Information said.
4N Hardware Stores Inc. has won the contract to build a paddy drying and storage facility, the Department of Public Information (DPI) said on 16 October 2026. Paddy is rice that has been harvested but not yet milled.
The facility will have three silos with a combined storage capacity of 10,000 metric tonnes.
It will also have two tower dryers. Together, they can dry approximately 1,000 tonnes of paddy daily. The site will also have four wet storage bins and an intake and cleaning system.
Guyana's rice output reached a record 725,282 tonnes in 2024. DPI tied that rise to government spending on high-yielding varieties, subsidies and infrastructure.
In April 2025, a Stabroek News editorial said Essequibo Coast millers could not cope with the volume of paddy. The paper said paddy was left stranded and spoiled.
In 2025, President Ali committed to building modern storage facilities in all rice-producing regions. The government was also working on a minimum paddy price during a period of price problems.
Construction is expected to be completed within one year, DPI said.