– Corporation lost $37.9M through strikes

THE Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), despite its dire constraints and the existing economic conditions, has managed to produce 37,015 tonnes of sugar during the ‘first crop’ period for this year.

Its ‘first crop’ production was equivalent to 79.6 per cent of its target, which was 46,476 tonnes of sugar.
GuySuCo, in a press statement, said the crop was closed with 1,093 hectares- 762 hectares at Albion/Port Mourant Estate and 331 hectares at Blairmont Estate- of “carried over” canes to be harvested. This translates to 66,000 tonnes of cane that will be carried over to the second crop of 2020.
The actual sugar cane processed for the first crop was 492,910, as against the budgeted 539,460. The budgeted molasses was 19,624 while the actual production was 21,194; a surplus of 1,569.

Meanwhile, the average attendance rate for the season was 54.3 per cent across the industry. Harvesters’ attendance at the Albion/Port Mourant Estate was 54 per cent, Blairmont Estate was 50 per cent and Uitvlugt Estate was 64 per cent.

“It should be noted that the first crop attendance was impacted by the circumstances surrounding the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), which saw the employees being off of work for two weeks and this also contributed to the shortfall,” said GuySuCo.

There was, however, no sympathy in times of instability, as there were 50 strikes across the sugar belt. Those actions caused the corporation to lose $37.9 million – $20.1 million at Albion/Port Mourant, $13.6 million at Blairmont and $4.2 million at Uitvlugt. Total production loss, industry-wide, as a result of the man-days loss, was 2,307 tonnes of sugar.

GuySuCo, however, assured that it continues to strengthen its partnership with the trade unions and will always recognise them as valuable partners, especially for the achievement of the target in the second crop 2020 and towards building a more resilient business.

The management of GuySuCo is also exploring innovative and creative ways to keep the employees motivated and engaged, despite the “disruptive” transition process which is now compounded by the challenges around the global COVID-19 pandemic.

It was reported that the ailing sugar industry, managed by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), is looking to “bounce back” by increasing its annual output and diversifying its core business beyond the cultivation and production of raw sugar.

In recent times, GuySuCo has failed to make positive strides because of high production costs and the loss of lucrative markets, but the corporation believes that it could “rise from the ashes” with its new “I believe in GuySuCo” initiative.

The initiative, as described by GuySuCo, is an internal stakeholder mobilisaton campaign and a new business plan, which will guide the company for the next five years.
The initiative is aimed at creating a revitalised sugar industry, with production surpassing 150,000 tonnes of sugar annually; competitive products; and a productive and highly-motivated team. Over the past four years the corporation has been working with a target of 147,000 tonnes of sugar annually.

It is expected that if given the required support and necessary financing, the corporation will return to a position of sustained growth and prosperity.
The corporation, through its new initiative, hopes to change the gloomy image of the industry by modernising its agriculture and factory operations, as well as diversifying its core business beyond the cultivation and production of raw sugar.

Emphasis will be on increasing the production of direct consumption sugars and producing white sugars for industrial use. Other new business lines include the generation and export (locally) of electrical energy and service industries, such as ‘sugar’ tourism.

Therefore, as the corporation transitions, it is imperative that the employees and other internal and external stakeholders be integrated into this process, said GuySuCo.
Through the campaign, GuySuCo will mobilise employees and other stakeholders around the new strategic direction of the corporation in order for there to be “oneness of vision” and for a more synergistic approach, over the next five years.