The Guyana Sugar Corpo-ration (GuySuCo) has stopped importing sugar and will be depending on its own production to meet all its markets for the rest of the year.
Chief Executive of the company Errol Hanoman made this disclosure on Wednesday during a press conference held at the studio of the National Communica-tions Network (NCN) to discuss strike action taken by GAWU workers. The strike by the sugar workers has since ended.
Finance Director of the company Paul Bhim said GuySuCo has imported about 14, 000 tonnes of sugar from Guatemala at a cost of US$450 per tonne. He disclosed that the last shipment came into the country during the first week of this month.
The company began importing sugar from Guatemala in January to serve as a “buffer supply” to guard against any possible shortage locally. At the time, GuySuCo’s Marketing Direc-tor Nisa Surujbally said the move was necessary since heavy rainfall had delayed the production of the first crop.
Meanwhile, at Wednesday’s press conference, Hanoman said the company has been satisfying all of its committed markets. He said that it has been fulfilling its commitment to its EU markets as well as those in the United States.
According to Bhim, the company has delivered 15,000 tonnes of sugar to the US for the year, the first time it has done so in three years.
Hanoman, however, noted that this has caused the Caricom markets to take a “knocking” and pointed out that at one time the company used to sell about 100,000 tonnes to markets in the regions.
He also noted that the determination to meet its commitment to overseas markets had caused the company to import sugar.
