THE Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is in process of putting several measures in place to ensure a successful start to the first sugar crop of 2015. These include ongoing routine maintenance works at all sugar factories.GuySuCo’s Industrial Relations Head, Mr. Jairam Pitam, also told the Guyana Chronicle that, by the end of February, all the sugar factories are expected to be up and running.

“Uitvlugt is expected to start operating in the first week of February; Wales Estate will start in the second week, and, by the end of the month, all remaining factories will be operational,” he said.

GuySuCo operates eight estates, located as follows: Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara; Wales, West Bank Demerara; Enmore and La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara; Rose Hall, Albion and Skeldon on the Corentyne Coast in East Berbice; and Blairmont, West Bank Berbice.

Asked about the target for the first sugar crop of 2015, Pitam explained that a final decision in this regard is still to be made.
“No decision on target has been made as yet; but by early February, we are expected to have a figure to work with,” he said.

Last year, Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy had indicated that the 2015 target would be “significantly higher” than the 2014 target of 216,000 tonnes.

“We look forward to 2015, when the target (would be) set significantly higher than the 216,000-tonne target (that had been set) for 2014. I am confident that 2015 will be another successful year in terms of the targets and efficiency of production,” he had said.

In 2014, GuySuCo recorded a production of 216,147 tonnes -– the first crop having surpassed the 75,000-tonne target, bringing in about 80,000 tonnes.

The calamitous drop in sugar prices on the global and preferred market scene, which challenges all sugar industries, coupled with the dramatic fall in earnings and, by extension, cash flow; and the prevailing weather conditions were among several of the difficulties that affected the local sugar industry during 2014.

The industry saw a dismal sugar production level in the past years, but Guyana has since been taking steps to turn around its sugar industry, and hopes to soon meet a 300,000-tonne target.

There is also a projection that the sector would reach a 400,000-tonne goal by 2020. (Vanessa Narine)