Uitvlugt factory to commence cane grinding this weekend

He also said that GuySuCo hopes to produce approximately 100,000 tons of sugar this year despite suffering a shortfall in cane production due to the extended El Nino period.

“We are working to revitalize GuySuCo, bringing it back to where it was. Last year, we produced 60,000 tons of sugar, representing an increase in sugar production when compared to 2022. We are hoping that by the end of this year, we can produce 100,000 tons of sugar. Because of the unfortunate period we had with the El Nino, 108,000 tons of cane were destroyed. We had to replant because the most important thing is to grow cane and increase the yields to supply the factory. I am hoping that, over time, we can increase the yield from approximately 40 to 50 tons per hectare to approximately 89 to 90 tons per hectare,” Minister Mustapha added.

He noted that while the industry continues to experience labor shortages, emphasis is now being placed on mechanization.

“We know there is a problem with labor. Now that Guyana is experiencing massive development, it is becoming difficult to find labor. There are so many options and opportunities available to citizens, so rather than working in the cane fields, people are choosing to work in other sectors. This is why we are putting things in place to mechanize the sector,” he explained.

Minister Mustapha also said that there are some infrastructural works to be done in the fields and that GuySuCo will be guided as to how it should go about executing those works. He also said that a long boom excavator will be sent to the estate within the next two weeks to assist with those works.

“In another two weeks, we’ll send a long boom excavator here to assist with infrastructural works. We’ll also work to do remedial work on some of the main dams like the Pumpkin Dam and Boderust Dam, so that you can access the Tiger Dam and other parts of the cultivation area,” the Minister assured.