Permit me, therefore, to respond to Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, ‘Jordan’s remarks on rice farmers ‘’reckless” says Mustapha’ (Stabroek News, October 1, 2025). According to the SN article, he is peeved at my supposed suggestion that “smaller farmers should exit rice production.” [His words]. In addition to silos, excess rice production may be captured in the value-added chain, for example rice cakes, rice crispies, rice flour, rice porridge, and packaged rice. I repeated that it made little sense to ask rice farmers to produce more under current conditions. The Agriculture Minister’s feigned love for farmers does not appear to extend to other farmers.