Skeldon modification works to be completed next month

TIMES INT'L
An aerial view of the Skeldon sugar factory in Berbice
An aerial view of the Skeldon sugar factory in Berbice

The first week of February 2013 should see modification works to the Skeldon Sugar factory being completed, Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy disclosed during a recent interview with the media. However, he advised that the first crop for the estate is expected to start later than the other estates; this he attributed to the ongoing remedial works.
“South African firm, Bosch, has been contracted to modify the Skeldon factory to fix problems it had been experiencing,” he reiterated.
Dr Ramsammy explained that since the factory went into operation after its commissioning in 2009, it has encountered numerous challenges which have been a major setback to its effective functioning.
The minister admitted that it did, however have a productive period during the dry weather. Dr Ramsammy noted that these modification works are expected to significantly boost the estates’ performance.
Works being undertaken by Bosch include modifications to the bagasse conveyer and the cane conveyer, among others. These works are expected to increase the factory’s level of efficiency from currently 60 per cent to about 70 to 75 per cent.
Dr Ramsammy said the firm was scheduled to begin the works in November last year, but after the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) had experienced some challenges which prolonged until the end of December, it was pushed forward to this year.
Turning his attention to the company’s production target for 2013, the minister said it has been set at 250,000 tonnes. He urged the corporation to take advantage of the current dry weather. “When they needed this condition in late November and December, they didn’t have it, but now at least they have it. They’re not in operation now but they are in preparation, land preparation and so on,” he stated.

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