Georgetown: The production targets for rice and sugar in 2015 have been set, according to Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy.
He stated that the target for rice production is 618,000 tonnes. Last year was another record-breaking year for the rice industry. Production was recorded at 635,238 tonnes of which 501,208 tonnes were exported. Production in the final crop of 2014 surpassed that of the first crop, which recorded just over 300,000 tonnes.
The sector has seen consistent improvements over the past several years. Production for 2013 was 535,212 tonnes, which was far above the original target of 413,000 tonnes and reflected a 27 per cent increase over the production in 2012. The average production per hectare was some five tonnes.
Additionally, the Agriculture Minister disclosed that the export target for 2015 is some 521,000 tonnes.
Guyana currently has export agreements with several countries in the Caribbean as well as with Venezuela and Panama. He said arrangements to ship rice to countries in West Africa are still being finalised, but the delay was due to the Ebola epidemic.
Also, given the continuous success of the rice industry, efforts are being made to secure a greater foothold in Nicaragua and other Central American countries, including Belize.
SUGAR TARGET
Meanwhile, Dr. Ramsammy stated that the production being targeted by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) for 2015 is some 240,000 tonnes.
Last year, the Agriculture Minister had indicated that the 2015 target would be “significantly higher” than the 2014 target of 216,000 tonnes.
GuySuCo is still in the process of putting several measures in place to ensure a successful start to the first sugar crop of 2015. These include ongoing routine maintenance works at all sugar factories.
GuySuCo’s Industrial Relations Head, Mr. Jairam Pitam, in a recent interview, told the Guyana Chronicle that by the end of February all the sugar factories are expected to be up and running.
“Uitvlugt is expected to start operating in the first week of February; Wales Estate will start in the second week and by the end of the month all remaining factories will be operational,” he said.
GuySuCo operates eight estates, located at : Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara; Wales, West Bank Demerara; Enmore and La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara; Rose Hall, Albion and Skeldon on the Corentyne Coast in East Berbice; and Blairmont, West Bank Berbice.
In 2014, GuySuCo recorded a production of 216,147 tonnes– the first crop having surpassed the 75,000-tonne target, bringing in about 80,000 tonnes.
The calamitous drop in sugar prices on the global and preferred market scene, challenges all sugar industries, coupled with the dramatic fall in earnings and by extension cash flow; and the prevailing weather conditions were among several of the difficulties that affected the local sugar industry during 2014.
The industry saw a dismal sugar production level in the past years, but Guyana has since been taking steps to turn around its sugar industry and hopes to soon meet a 300,000-tonne target. There is also a projection that the sector would reach a 400,000-tonne goal by 2020.
Together the rice and sugar sectors remain vital to Guyana’s economy, considering their major roles in terms of employment and contributions to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GPD).
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