CHIEF Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Paul Bhim has disclosed that due to the prolonged rainy season the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has not been able to do any form of mechanised cane harvesting.

He said this is having an impact on the amount of canes supplied to the factories for grinding.
Speaking by telephone, Bhim told the Guyana Chronicle that because of consistent rainfall, neither semi-harvesting nor full harvesting can be done since the fields are too wet for machinery to operate in them.
As such, he explained that cane is, currently, being harvested manually using the “cut and load” system.
However, Bhim said that with the current labour supply the cut and load cannot supply enough cane to keep the factories operating for 24 hours daily.
Nevertheless, he said the weather looks “promising” and if good conditions prevail, mechanical reaping could be started in the coming week.
Bhim advised that all estates, with the exception of Skeldon and Wales, have started operating for the second  crop which officially begun in the first week of July by  Rose Hall and Albion estates, followed by Uitvlugt a week later.
He reported that Wales will begin grinding some time this week, while Skeldon is scheduled to start around August 10.

Been plagued
The Skeldon Sugar Factory, which was commissioned in 2009 and had been touted as the flagship of the industry has been plagued with several problems thereby affecting its efficient functioning.
The South African firm, Bosch Engineering was contracted to modify it and that job was completed prior to the commencement of the first 2013 crop and, although the factory is still not operating to its intended full capacity, its performance has improved.
In a previous interview, Bhim had said the functions of the factory could not be fully tested because of an inadequate supply of cane.
But yesterday he said the factory will have a greater supply of canes for the second crop and they are hoping for improved performance.
The local sugar industry has come under much criticism, recently, for its poor performance. In the first crop of this year, it produced 48,018 tonnes of sugar, which was, significantly, less than the initial target of 71,000 tonnes.
The targeted production for the second crop is 155,000 tonnes but Bhim said so far production is 10,470 tonnes.
He said it is too early in the second crop to predict whether the industry will perform better than for the previous crop, though he remains optimistic.
Impacted negatively
Meanwhile, President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), Mr. Komal Chand acknowledged that sugar production in the second crop has been impacted negatively by rainfall.
He too believes that as the weather improves in the coming weeks, production is expected to improve.
Chand noted that all is well with the industrial relations between sugar workers and GuySuCo, except for minor disagreements with rates of payment which are being dealt with by the union and management.
In addition, he revealed that GAWU is to meet with GuySuCo in the near future to discuss better pay.