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AGRICULTURE Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has said the mechanisation of the sugar industry is an imperative in helping to curb the labour shortage it is currently facing.
Speaking during a recent tour of Enmore Sugar Factory, on East Coast Demerara, he observed that approximately 62 percent of its operation is done mechanically and pointed out that the East Demerara estates have the biggest labour problem because they are located close to job markets and people opt for other employment.
“Therefore, we have to ensure that we move, very quickly, to ensure total mechanisation,” Ramsammy stated. He said, at the moment, at the Skeldon Estate, Corentyne, Berbice, which also faces a labour shortage, there are two cane harvesting machines, each of which does the work of about 120 cane harvesters.
The Minister said two such machines will also be located at Enmore Estate but, for them to become operational, a dumper that is now under construction, would have to be completed and its installation is costing the Government nearly US$1M.
He explained that the dumper would replace the present arrangement by which chains pick up bundles of sugarcane.
“And because the billetor (the cane harvesting machine) will provide a different kind of loading mechanism…it is little pieces of cane…it means that the punts will be bringing in more tonnage than the long cane that the harvesters do,” Ramsammy stated.
He emphasised that the same number of punts will give more cane and that would serve to improve production at the factory.
Despite labour being one of the greatest constraints for the sugar industry, the Minister said the problem is not confined to it alone.
But he, recently, met with cash crop and rice farmers who also have concerns about the availability of labour and, in addition, some contractors have the same complaint.
“In terms of the technical things, like excavator operators and so on, because there are over 3,000 excavators operating in the hinterland for mining and because of the higher salaries, you have a migration of technically skilled people from the coast to there,” Ramsammy reasoned.
He maintained that mechanising the sugar industry at all levels would be a direct response to the labour shortage.
Speaking during a recent tour of Enmore Sugar Factory, on East Coast Demerara, he observed that approximately 62 percent of its operation is done mechanically and pointed out that the East Demerara estates have the biggest labour problem because they are located close to job markets and people opt for other employment.
“Therefore, we have to ensure that we move, very quickly, to ensure total mechanisation,” Ramsammy stated. He said, at the moment, at the Skeldon Estate, Corentyne, Berbice, which also faces a labour shortage, there are two cane harvesting machines, each of which does the work of about 120 cane harvesters.
The Minister said two such machines will also be located at Enmore Estate but, for them to become operational, a dumper that is now under construction, would have to be completed and its installation is costing the Government nearly US$1M.
He explained that the dumper would replace the present arrangement by which chains pick up bundles of sugarcane.
“And because the billetor (the cane harvesting machine) will provide a different kind of loading mechanism…it is little pieces of cane…it means that the punts will be bringing in more tonnage than the long cane that the harvesters do,” Ramsammy stated.
He emphasised that the same number of punts will give more cane and that would serve to improve production at the factory.
Despite labour being one of the greatest constraints for the sugar industry, the Minister said the problem is not confined to it alone.
But he, recently, met with cash crop and rice farmers who also have concerns about the availability of labour and, in addition, some contractors have the same complaint.
“In terms of the technical things, like excavator operators and so on, because there are over 3,000 excavators operating in the hinterland for mining and because of the higher salaries, you have a migration of technically skilled people from the coast to there,” Ramsammy reasoned.
He maintained that mechanising the sugar industry at all levels would be a direct response to the labour shortage.
