These are the seven points and commitments that put an end to 11 days of strikes and roadblocks by the country's rice farmers.

After 11 days of strikes and blockades on more than 10 major highways in the country, resulting in estimated economic losses of more than 25 billion pesos, rice farmers and the government signed a new agreement seeking to improve the conditions of these farmers, who have been demanding conditions for several months that allow them to avoid working at a loss.
According to the rice farmers, one of the most controversial and difficult points to reach agreement on was the price of the grain (green paddy rice), where prices were agreed upon by zones for the 125-kilo load as follows: Bajo Cauca 186,434 pesos, Centro 198,686 pesos, Costa Norte 189,098 pesos, Llanos 182,173 pesos and Santanderes 194,424 pesos.
According to Carlos Alberto Rojas, delegate of the National Strike Committee, the parties reached an agreement in which the Ministry of Agriculture, through the Superintendency of Industry and Commerce, issued today the resolution on the price of green paddy rice necessary for farmers to receive a fair value for their harvest.
He also noted, at the end of Thursday's meeting, that the government will also issue a resolution regulating white paddy rice to compensate for the price millers and marketers will pay for green paddy rice.
"All efforts will be increased by the Government, through the Ministry of Commerce and the Customs Police, who must be at the borders preventing the entry of smuggled rice, a scourge that is significantly affecting the price of rice in Colombia. Colombians should eat rice produced here, not smuggled," the spokesperson stated at the end of the meeting that ended the rice strike.
Rojas also explained that there will be ongoing dialogue to verify compliance with all the commitments made by the government during the rice farmers' mobilization held last March. Farmers hope these new commitments will be fulfilled.

Rice strike committee meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture to reach an agreement. Photo: Ministry of Agriculture
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the agreement focuses on the resolution establishing a minimum purchase price for green paddy rice, which will allow for progress on urgent and structural measures to address the current situation in the sector and strengthen its long-term sustainability.
Thus, both representatives of the Government and the rice farmers agreed:
Regulate the price of green paddy rice, at which point the parties accepted the calculation formula established by the Ministry of Agriculture and agreed that the established prices guarantee production costs for the producer without generating profit.
Regarding trade defense measures, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism will evaluate the feasibility of promoting the implementation of these and other measures based on the smart tariff policy for imports of paddy rice and/or white rice.
Another point concerns the creation of a Technical Commission, with the participation of both parties, whose objective will be to identify and implement the mechanisms contemplated in the law to support producers affected by the fall in green paddy rice prices from June 26, 2025, until the date of issuance of the resolution subjecting unprocessed agricultural products to the regulated free price regime.

Rice strike in Sucre, with roadblocks on national roads. Photo: Private archive.
Another technical committee will also be established by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, with the participation of the National Rice Strike Committee, to seek a definitive solution that will allow fair access to water for the agricultural sector under reasonable tariff conditions.
The Ministry of Finance, for its part, through the Pension and Parafiscal Management Unit (UGPP) will lead a technical table with the aim of reviewing the sources of information, while
The Tax and Customs Police (Polfa), in coordination with the National Tax and Customs Directorate (Dian) , are committed to carrying out inspections at collection centers and mills, in order to review inventories and their origins.
Finally, rice farmers pledged to complete their mobilization efforts and restore road traffic across the country, thus declaring the end of the National Rice Strike, which had been ongoing since July 14.
eltiempo