Georgetown: With the second crop production tallying 143, 184 tonnes as of today, and a year- to- date total of 224,327 tonnes, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is more than likely to achieve its 2015 target within the next few days. The corporation had set its target at 227, 443 tonnes, and is just over 3,000 tonnes away from achieving it. The last time the corporation achieved a second crop target was in 2004.
The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Errol Hanoman said that GuySuCo could likely surpass its target as well by at least 6,000 tonnes.With three estates operating, there is the likelihood of this occurring. Two Berbice estates, Albion and Rosehall, and Enmore are expected to continue operations until December 21. The new crop is expected to begin by the end of January, 2016, Hanoman said. During the out-of-crop period, maintenance will be done on all the estates. Meanwhile, the second conciliation meeting with GuySuCo, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the Ministry of Labour is set to take place Friday. Following earlier meetings between the union and sugar company on the Annual Production Incentive (API), the union had called out the workers on strike in October after rejecting the company’s offer of 2.7 days. Again, the union encouraged the workers to down tools in late November, and after the union had called off the strike, talks had resumed but ended in deadlock, hence the move to conciliation.
It was pointed out recently by Hanoman, that were it not for the previous three- day strike in October, and the man-days lost, the set production target would have been achieved since the end of November, according to GuySuCo’s calculations. The corporation is currently producing 100,000 tonnes less sugar than it was making 13 years ago. Its performance from 2002 to 2014 is as follows: 2002 – 331,052 tonnes; 2003- 302,379 tonnes; 2004- 325,317 tonnes; 2005 – 246,071 tonnes; 2006-259,549 tonnes; 2007- 266,482 tonnes; 2008- 226, 267 tonnes; 2009 -233,736 tonnes; 2010- 220,818 tonnes; 2011- 236, 505 tonnes; 2012- 218,068 tonnes; 2013- 186,745 tonnes and 2014 -216,350 tonnes. The removal of preferential prices which African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries like Guyana enjoyed now dictates that GuySuCo be more efficient, to remain competitive.
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