Trinidad and Tobago’s remaining rice farmers face a crisis as a sudden urea shortage drives prices to black-market levels, threatening the collapse of a once-thriving industry. Despite being a major global nitrogen fertilizer exporter, local producers cannot access essential inputs, forcing them to use less effective alternatives and risking financial ruin. While the government has acted swiftly to protect export revenue, domestic farmers remain unsupported. Immediate subsidies, price controls, and long-term adoption of efficient farming technologies are critical to saving the sector, boosting food security, and strengthening the rural economy.
