GuySuCo records best production ‘day’ in five years

PRODUCTIVITY in Guyana’s sugar industry is improving incrementally, with the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) reporting that the three producing estates, Albion, Blairmont and Uitvlugt, collectively produced 654.3 metric tonnes of sugar, the highest in a single day since the downsizing of the industry by the previous A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition administration.

The sugar corporation, in a statement provided to the Guyana Chronicle, said this is an indication that all resources expended so far are contributing significantly to the improvement of the sugar industry, as was seen on March 3, when the industry recorded its highest production day. Increased productivity and better yields are a result of critical investments in machines such as bell loaders, among other things, which have been utilised at the producing estates for semi-mechanical and mechanical harvesting.

“We have expended key investments into the three factories at Uitvlugt, Albion and Blairmont over the last four months thanks to the $3 billion provided by the government,” GuySuCo said.
In 2017, the former APNU+AFC Coalition Government had announced the closure of several sugar estates across the country. The move saw four sugar estates being closed, and 7,000 sugar workers losing their jobs. Plans are afoot to not just rehire persons, but to return this industry to viability through coordinated and prudent management, which is expected to come from both private and public stakeholders.