Dear Editor,
I refer to Mr M Raghunath’s response to my letter on water balance for the Canje Creek sugar-cane development project (‘Water balance studies were done for the Skeldon modernization project,’ SN 20.9.08) and note that the new plant has been designed based on excess rainfall runoff pumped into conservancies for its irrigation water requirements, and not on the Canje Creek. No mention was made as to whether or not the conservancy areas are part of the Canje drainage basin.
This is indeed very risky, as statistically there could be a period of prolonged drought or dry years following several wet years forcing this expensive plant to shut down. This can easily be verified by doing a trend analysis of the area’s rainfall.
I do not agree with him that modern-day techniques for irrigated sugar-cane do not justify the cost of some irrigation supply investment in terms of crop yield and quality.
Historically, sugar-cane farming in Guyana over the years has been dependent on conservancies for its survival – EDWC for the East Coast Demerara, the Boerasirie for the West Coast and pumped irrigation via Canje Creek with the Torani diversions from the Berbice River.
I also note he disputed my total acreage of 80,000 which was quoted in the press some time ago, but has failed to provide the actual quantity of cropped area the plant has been designed for.
Yours faithfully,
M. Alli
