-others to begin in another two weeks

THE second sugar crop is underway with three factories having started operations – Rose Hall, Blairmont and Wales.

This was according to the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GuySuCo) Human Resource Director, Mr. Jairam Pitam, who added that the other estates will begin grinding in another two weeks.
The Corporation’s operations cover several estates on the East Coast of Demerara, the West Coast and West Bank of Demerara and Berbice:
Pitam told the Guyana Chronicle that to date the labour force turnout is on the “low side” with approximately only 55 per cent of workers on duty.
“The crop has just started, so we are expecting that the attendance rates will gain momentum. We expect it to pick up as the crop progresses,” Pitam said.
Asked about the factories’ operational capacity, the Human Resources Manager added that factory maintenance works have been completed at all the estates and there have been no reported problems in this regard.
Sugar production came in at a dismal 186,500 tonnes for 2013 but this year’s target has been set at 219,000 tonnes with the first crop production being about 80,000 tonnes..
Guyana has been taking steps to turn the sugar industry around and hopes to meet the 300,000 tonnes target soon, with a projection that the sector will reach its 400,000 tonnes goal by 2020.
Additionally, a $6B allocation, in the 2014 Budget, for GuySuCo was approved by the National Assembly. The $6B is expected to cover expenditures that include: mechanisation, through the conversion of 2,500 hectares of land to be suitable for mechanical operations, which will be done at a cost of $1.1B; tillage and replanting of 9,200 hectares, both efforts being consistent with improving cane production and yield, which will be done at a cost $1B; factory upgrading of all sugar estates, including Skeldon, at a cost of $2B; and works to field infrastructure to improve field to factory access and purchasing of equipment, excavators, bell loaders, tractors, etc. to account for the remainder of the allocation.
Despite its challenges, the industry, according to Government, remains relevant to the health of the national economy. In 2013, sugar exports accounted for 8.3 per cent of total exports valued at US$112.2M and the industry contributed 3.9 per cent of the country’s GDP.

(By Vanessa Narine)