THE Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has announced a significant step forward in modernising its operations with the installation of a new billet harvester at the Albion Estate, a move expected to boost efficiency, productivity, and overall resilience within the sugar industry.

The machine, designed to cut sugarcane into uniform billets, is capable of harvesting up to 28 tons of cane per hour. This level of output reduces the dependence on manual labour at a time when the industry is grappling with an ongoing shortage of cane-cutters. GuySuCo noted that the harvester will complement the work of cane farmers, ensuring that production schedules are maintained while maximising output.

Estate Manager at Albion, Yudhisthira Mana, praised the new addition, explaining that the machine has already completed 100 working hours. “It has proven itself to be working very efficiently. Around 40 per cent of the sugar cane is to be reaped by these machines, which will boost production and performance in terms of cane supply,” Mana said.
This milestone aligns with the government’s broader vision for the sugar industry. Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, during a June 25, 2025 engagement with workers at the Albion Sports Complex, reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to revitalising and transforming the sector.

The People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), in its 2025 Manifesto, highlighted agriculture as a major pillar of Guyana’s non-oil economy, with the sugar industry being central to food security, job creation, and economic diversification. The party pledged continued investment in mechanisation, factory modernisation, and value-added production, alongside new ventures such as ethanol development and packaging facilities.

The government has emphasised that its long-term plan includes positioning GuySuCo as a hub for rural economic development while safeguarding the livelihoods of sugar workers. This contrasts with what it described as years of neglect under the former APNU+AFC administration, during which several estates were closed.
With mechanisation now advancing at estates like Albion, and strategic projects such as the near-complete packaging plant and ethanol feasibility studies underway, the introduction of the billet harvester represents not only a technological upgrade but also a signal of renewed confidence in the future of Guyana’s sugar industry.