As El Nino dry weather conditions persist over Guyana, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has adopted several strategies to conserve water used for supply to the sugar estates along the coast.

According to a release from the entity, optimum water conservation practices, recirculation/recycling of water, monitoring of water availability and quality at source, close monitoring of the operation of water control structures, appropriate harvesting sequence and appropriate crop husbandry practices are several measures which the entity has put in place to mitigate the adverse effects of El Nino.

GuySuCo noted that the effects of the dry weather phenomenon have been greater on the Demerara Estates since the estates there source their water from the East and West Demerara Water conservancies, while the East Berbice estates obtain water from the Canje Creek. Blairmont estate obtains water supply from the MMA Conservancy.

According to the release, at the beginning of this crop in early February, the East and West Demerara conservancies were bordering on their dead storage levels and according to GuySuCo when this occurs, water can only be obtained from the holding areas by the use of pumps. GuySuCo stated that the industry is experiencing an enormous deficit of soil moisture for the crop on the East Demerara Estates. GuySuco noted that the Demerara estates have had to cut back on their replanting programme as a result of the lack of water for the irrigation of sections of the cane fields on those estates.

GuySuco stated that because of extremely dry conditions, the sugar cane crop is generally under severe moisture stress and this is further complicated by the dwindling supply the crop is receiving from its main sources.

One of the consequences of the current dry weather spell is that stunted cane growth can be observed in some fields in which canes have turned pale yellow. Stunted growth has also been observed at the Rose Hall Estate, Guysuco said.

The operation of gates at the Torani canal are being closely monitored to ensure that adequate amounts of water are released to augment the supply of fresh water down the Canje Creek for the East Berbice region.

According to GuySuCo, water conservation practices include recirculation of water from the drainage system into navigation canals for cane transport and irrigation .The release stated that sluice gates are locked and secured to prevent intrusion of salt water, while daily water quality monitoring is done in areas where pumps are used for water supply and recirculation of water.

GuySuco noted that the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) and the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary/Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA) took action to cushion the effects of the dry weather phenomenon. Pumps were deployed to parts of the coastland by the NDIA to mitigate the effects of the dry spell while the MMA placed water conservation measures in place at an early stage.

According to GuySuCo, through careful management of the available water resources and with assistance of the NDIA, the sugar estates have so far managed to keep their punts afloat for cane transport as well as the grinding of cane at the factories during the first crop of this year.

The sugar entity stated that it will continue to put into practice its water management strategies which have been adopted for this crop. However, the entity noted that the full effects of El Nino on sugar production this year would not be fully known until the end of the second crop this year.