Sugar production for the second crop has suffered a string of setbacks and as of last week the recorded output was just over 16,000 tonnes after three weeks.
The sugar corporation is trying to bounce back from the two serious incidents within recent weeks; a fire which resulted in extensive damages to a bagasse conveyor belt and prior to that, damage to two boilers. In addition, there was the recent industrial action at Skeldon factory.
GuySuCo’s Communications Officer Romel Roopnarine said Tuesday that the corporation is facing obvious challenges, but that “we remain optimistic.” He noted that the focus now is on harvesting the cane for grinding because of unpredictable weather. He added that the rains have also hampered the pace at which harvesting is going.
GuySuCo is currently looking for additional manpower to help with harvesting. The corporation is running advertisements in the press for cane harvesters at the Uitvlugt estate since according to Roopnarine there is a need for a larger labour force there. However, he said additional assistance is required at all estates.
The weather, Roopnarine said, has made if difficult for the corporation’s heavy machinery to operate in the fields which means that most of the work would have to be done manually. He said production will pick up “shortly” because the canes are there to grind.
Chief Executive Officer (ag) Paul Bhim recently commented that an adequate supply of cane was available for grinding this crop.
Revised estimates for the second crop put it at around 185,000 tonnes and based on current challenges there are reports that the corporation might be forced to lower that figure downwards; a shortfall was recorded during the first crop. A production target of 280,000 tonnes has been set for this year and the first crop output was recorded at 81,864 tonnes.
The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) has blamed the corporation’s low production numbers on mismanagement and its President, Komal Chand told Stabroek News recently that the recent revision of the production target for 2010 is “not a good sign.” He said the corporation is known for further revising targets after a first revision and according to him, workers feel the brunt of it because revenue is cut.
Chand said many of the estates recorded production deficits during the dismal first crop, noting that while there have been issues with the weather there have also been internal issues. He said the union has been critical of a number of issues within the industry, including the teething problems at Skeldon.
