THE Sugar Association of the Caribbean (SAC) has reaffirmed its commitment to modernising the regional sugar industry, advancing climate resilience, and strengthening intra-regional trade integration following its 177th Board of Directors Meeting held last week in Barbados.
A key outcome of the meeting was the re-election of Chairman Mac McLachlan, a move the Board said ensures leadership continuity as the Caribbean sugar sector navigates a period of structural transformation and heightened global competition.
The meeting brought together directors from across CARICOM, who reviewed strategic initiatives spanning industrial upgrading, agricultural innovation, and regional policy coordination.
Directors received an update on the Caribbean Sugar Refinery (CSR) initiative, a US$12.5 million joint venture between Sucro and Santander aimed at strengthening the region’s capacity to produce direct-consumption refined white sugar.
The project remains on schedule for completion by the third quarter of 2026 and is expected to reduce reliance on extra-regional imports while improving supply stability within CARICOM markets.
CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND RESEARCH EXPANSION
The Board also heard a detailed presentation from Andrew Stoute, Research Director at the West Indies Central Sugar Cane Breeding Station, outlining ongoing efforts to develop climate-resilient sugarcane varieties.
Research priorities include improving resistance to prolonged drought, soil salinity changes, and increasingly unpredictable rainfall patterns linked to climate change.
In a further development, the station will host an International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists (ISSCT) workshop later this year under the theme “Developing Climate Resilient Sugarcane,” expected to bring together approximately 80 international scientists to the region.
SAC directors also finalised production data for the 2025–2026 regional sugar crop, which surpassed 241,500 tonnes. The Board noted that the output demonstrates the region’s growing capacity to meet CARICOM’s domestic brown sugar demand while gradually replacing imports from outside the region.
Chairman McLachlan said the figures underscored the value of sustained private and public investment in agriculture across CARICOM, while cautioning that full regional integration remains constrained by implementation gaps in the CARICOM Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) Monitoring Mechanism for Sugar (MMS).
He stressed the need for stronger compliance with the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas to realise a fully integrated regional sugar market.
HIGH-LEVEL TALKS WITH BARBADOS GOVERNMENT
During the Barbados visit, Chairman McLachlan also joined a Belize-led delegation, headed by Minister of State for Foreign Trade Hon. Marconi Leal Jr., in high-level discussions with Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley and senior government officials.
Talks focused on sustainable economic growth, food security, intra-regional trade expansion, and the role of the CARICOM Monitoring Mechanism for Sugar in strengthening agricultural value chains. Participants also discussed the potential contribution of regional refining capacity to long-term economic resilience.
The SAC also paid tribute to outgoing leadership, hosting a reception honouring R. Karl James for his 25-year tenure as SAC Chairman from 1998 to 2023.
Representing the Sugar Manufacturing Corporation of Jamaica Ltd., SAC Director Delroy Armstrong expressed appreciation for James’ leadership during a period marked by global market restructuring, including the decline of European preferential sugar trade arrangements.
Reflecting on the outcomes of the meeting, Chairman McLachlan said the Caribbean sugar industry is undergoing a fundamental shift in purpose and structure.
“The regional sugar industry is no longer just about harvesting raw crop for export to Europe; it is about regional food security, advanced biotechnology, and sustainable manufacturing,” he said. “With the support of regional heads like Prime Minister Mottley, the scientific backbone of the WICSCBS, and projects like the CSR, we are building a modern, competitive Caribbean powerhouse.”
The Sugar Association of the Caribbean represents sugar producers across CARICOM member states, coordinating advocacy, technical collaboration, and efforts to strengthen intra-regional trade and long-term sector sustainability.
The Board Representation includes; Mac McLachlan — Belize Sugar Industries Limited; Paul Cheong — Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc.; Delroy Armstrong — Sugar Manufacturing Corporation of Jamaica Ltd.; and Marlon Munroe — Barbados Energy and Sugar Company Inc.