PARAMARIBO – Agriculture Minister Prahlad Sewdien on Wednesday claimed that most of the people who protested in the Nickerie District last Tuesday were not farmers. “It is all part of a scheme but I won’t fall for it. We have our agreements with the farmers,” said Minister Sewdien, who added that the farmers who had to pay off their debts and who did not have any fertilizer or chemicals had to report to the Agriculture Ministry so that their names could be put on a list. Minister Sewdien explained that the ministry would find ways to help the nation’s rice farmers. “We have started a program aimed at lowering their cost price. “We agreed to meet again on August 3rd,” said the minister. Around 500 farmers gathered at the people’s square last Tuesday, to protest against the delay in the payment of state subsidy. Enough is enough. We have been deceived for too long and want an answer from the minister of Agriculture today,” the angry farmers told Times of Suriname. The farmers made it clear that they are fed up with waiting for the subsidy that had been promised to them as compensation for their financial losses. They became infuriated when Agriculture Minister Prahlad Sewdien visited the Nickerie District last Saturday to inform them of the lack of funds…[+]