–confident ongoing reforms would lead to improved outcomes in the medium term despite missing target in 2025
THE Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has acknowledged that it did not meet its revised sugar production target for 2025, but emphasised that the year nonetheless marked significant progress compared to the previous year.
In a statement responding to a Stabroek News article published on January 9, 2025, “GuySuCo fails to attain lowered production goal for 2025,” the corporation reported a 26.5 per cent increase in overall sugar production compared with 2024.
GuySuCo said that while the achievement fell short of expectations, the increase reflected “incremental progress despite several challenges.”
According to the corporation, prolonged and excessive rainfall during 2025 severely disrupted harvesting schedules and reduced cane quality across multiple estates. At the same time, persistent labour shortages continued to limit field operations.
To mitigate these problems, GuySuCo said it expanded the use of mechanical harvesting and achieved the highest level of mechanisation in its history.
The company described this shift as a “necessary structural adjustment” to address the continuing scarcity of field labour and noted that corresponding field conversion works, including upgrades to access roads, drainage, and field layout, are underway to support greater efficiency.
GuySuCo also highlighted improvements in cane yields, reporting an increase from 41 tonnes per hectare in 2023 to 53 tonnes per hectare in 2025, representing a 29 per cent gain.
These results, the corporation said, strengthen the foundation for future recovery even if short-term targets remain unmet.
“The corporation’s recovery cannot be assessed on the basis of a single crop or production figure,” GuySuCo said, adding that its focus remains on long-term viability through “steady, practical improvements” such as factory upgrades, enhanced maintenance systems, and strengthened management practices.
As preparations begin for the upcoming crop, the company said lessons learned in 2025 are already being incorporated into new operational strategies.
GuySuCo also expressed optimism that ongoing reforms would lead to improved outcomes in the medium term and thanked workers and technical teams for their commitment under difficult conditions.
