Weighbridge glitch delays sugar harvest —by a day

A last-minute inspection of the weighbridge at Portvale Sugar Factory delayed the start of the 2025 sugarcane harvest, pushing back operations by a day and leaving farmers scrambling to adjust their schedules, Barbados TODAY can reveal.

Despite earlier reports from the Government’s Senior Economic Advisor Ambassador Clyde Mascoll that the harvest would begin on Monday, a late inspection of the weighbridge at the island’s only sugar mill caused an unforeseen setback.

Delays at the beginning of the harvest are not unusual. When the industry was managed under the state-owned Barbados Agricultural Management Company (BAMC), there were typical delays due to late assignments of tipping trailers to plantations, labour negotiations, or equipment issues at Portvale.

Minister of Agriculture Indar Weir confirmed that the delay was not due to mechanical issues at Portvale but rather an administrative hurdle.

“There were no issues at Portvale in terms of its readiness to grind canes and produce sugar,” Weir said. “However, there was a minor hiccup with the weighbridge. The person responsible for the inspection was only available this morning. That has now been rectified. If he had been able to do it over the weekend or on Friday, the crop would have started as scheduled.”

The person who carried out the inspection is said to be the only individual in the country with this expertise.

Weir emphasised that the delay was necessary to prevent logistical issues for farmers. “We didn’t want to have farmers cut canes today and then have them wait until tomorrow for weighing. That was the only slight hiccup. There were absolutely no issues with Portvale itself.”

Portvale is now set to receive canes from Tuesday at 6:30 a.m.

Attempts to contact Barbados Sugar Industry Limited (BSIL) Chairman Mark Sealy for comments were unsuccessful, but several farmers under the association confirmed that they did not harvest any canes on Monday.

Uncertainty also loomed over whether fields under Coop Energy management, the new cooperative owners of the divested sugar industry, had begun harvesting. A drive through the countryside and inactivity at Portvale’s factory yard—where freshly cut canes are typically placed after weighing—suggested that the harvest had yet to gain momentum.

Richard Mayers, farm manager at Edgecumbe Plantation, took proactive steps to prepare for full-scale harvesting. Determined to cut at least 300 tonnes of cane per day, his team worked ahead of schedule, filling two large blue bins and two tipping trailers in just over an hour.

“I started at about 1 p.m. here in Campaign Castle, St George,” Mayers said. “We were hoping to start this morning, but the factory had an issue that was beyond the general manager’s control. Once it was sorted and I received the go-ahead that the factory would be taking canes tomorrow, I decided to get ahead of the game. I wanted to ensure that all kinks in my harvester were ironed out so we would be fully ready.”

Last year, Edgecumbe produced 10 109 tonnes of cane, and Mayers expects this year’s yield to reach 11 500 tonnes. 

He credited improved plant cane conditions for the projected increase, noting that all his plant canes were hot water treated. “What I do every two years is plant a hot water-treated nursery and use that as my planting material to cover 160 acres annually.”

In a related development, BSIL farmers secured a long-awaited price adjustment, with their $190 per tonne payment increasing by $20.

BSIL farmers had been lobbying for a 10.5 per cent raise to help offset costs associated with owning large blue bins and maintaining harvesting equipment. The increase, which was approved last week, is expected to provide financial relief for farmers as they adjust to these new operational responsibilities.

This year BSIL farmers anticipate producing 66 300 tonnes of cane valued at close to $14 million under the new payment agreement.

Although he did not want to speak directly about negotiations, Weir said: “We have negotiated with the farmers how we would approach payment for cane delivery to Portvale this year, and all of that has been rectified.”

While some concerns were raised about recent rainfall affecting the crop, industry experts remain optimistic.

Mayers dismissed suggestions that unusual rainfall would affect his yield: “That will not bother me. Up to 28th February, we had over four inches of rain, but it was spread over time, so it will not affect harvesting.”

But Ambassador Mascoll had indicated last month that the harvest was intentionally scheduled for March instead of February due to weather patterns and the latest Brix test results. The decision, he said, was made to ensure optimal sugar content in the canes.

With the weighbridge issue resolved, farmers are now preparing for a full-scale harvest, and industry officials remain hopeful that no further delays will impede progress this season.

Weir added he anticipated smooth sailing for the remainder of the harvest: “It should be a successful crop. The start time of the crop should put us in a good position to be able to maximise output from the harvest.”

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb