Ramsammy optimistic sugar production target will be met despite bad weather

Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy

Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy said the current rainy season is the biggest threat to local sugar production.
“We have lost some production in the past couple of weeks because of the rain, and I think that remains the number one threat at this point,” he noted. Nevertheless, the minister stated that he remains hopeful that in spite of that threat, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) will be able to meet the annual production target of 237,000 tonnes.
At the time of the interview, he advised that production thus far for the year was approximately 208,000 tonnes, which is about 29,000 tonnes shy of the target.
“We have approximately three weeks and we could push it to about four weeks. There’s no question that if the weather remain like it was in early November that we would reach that target. It’s going to be tight, but we’re hoping to meet the target,” he reiterated.
Dr Ramsammy said once the weather is good, approximately 12,000 tonnes of sugar will be produced per week. In addition, he echoed the statements of GuySuCo Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Paul Bhim, who recently told another media house that low employee turnout is posing a threat to production.

Small labour force
Dr Ramsammy stressed that the decline in employee turnout is due to the labour force not being large enough, and not only because of strikes.
However, he pointed out that this is the reason GuySuCo is working to mechanise the operations of the estates. He also related that the workers do strike occasionally, but he has been working with the union and GuySuCo’s management to amicably solve the disputes.
“When we do have strikes, we lose more… But we have to be practical because management wants the industry to succeed, the union wants the industry to succeed, the workers want the industry to succeed. I don’t think there’s a variance in that aspiration, and therefore, I have always urged management and workers for us to talk more and have fewer lines drawn because we do have strikes and that has been impacting in recent times, and I believe no one gains from strikes,” the minister asserted.
He added that if anyone thinks the workers are being irresponsible, they need to revise that thought, noting that the workers are acting on what they see as their legitimate rights and management sometimes works on what they see as principle.
Nevertheless, he stressed the importance for the parties involved to work together because they all are working to achieve common goals.
Dr Ramsammy also said everything is in place to begin the modification works to the Skeldon Sugar Factory as soon as the present crop ends.
South African firm, Bosch has been contracted to modify the Skeldon factory to fix the problems it has been experiencing. Although the factory has been performing well for the past few months, the modifications are expected to make it more efficient.