PREPARATIONS for the second sugar crop are progressing well, and factories are expected to start grinding at the end of the month, says Agriculture Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy.

“Preparations for the second crop have been advanced. In fact, some of the estates are beginning to prepare for the restart of the grinding season. We expect that, towards the end of this month, several of the factories will have started grinding,” he told the Guyana Chronicle Saturday.

He explained that maintenance works and some level of upgrades at factories have been completed, and the second sugar crop is expected to be sufficiently successful to allow the industry to surpass the 2014 target.

Guyana has been taking steps to turn the sugar industry around, and hopes to meet the 300,000-tonne target soon with a projection that the sector will reach its 400,000-tonne goal by 2020.

Importantly, too, Dr Ramsammy disclosed that preparations for 2015 in terms of tillage and planting of cane have also been progressing well. “We expect that, next year, we will have a bumper sugar cane crop to support the factories,” he said.

The sugar target for 2014 is some 215,000 tonnes. The first crop had surpassed its target and recording a production of over 78,000 tonnes.

(Vanessa Narine)