Cane growers decry extra-regional imports threatening centuries-old sugar heritage

Cane farmers on Friday warned that the sugar industry could collapse within months if the importation of cheap brown sugar from outside the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is not stopped — a move they said is crippling the country’s last remaining agricultural stronghold and threatening jobs and rural livelihoods.

Chairman of the Barbados Sugar Industry Limited (BSIL), Mark Sealy, told Barbados TODAY on Friday that the inflow of cheaper foreign sugar could put local planters out of business.

“We are very concerned about licences for the importation of brown sugar into Barbados from outside of the region,” Sealy said. “We understand there is brown sugar coming from outside CARICOM and competing with local Barbados sugar on the domestic market. That’s basically shooting yourself in the foot — it needs to stop.”

He argued that the issue strikes at the heart of efforts to sustain local sugar production. “Barbados sugar is particularly good, but we are a high-cost producer. We earn more from domestic sales, so if companies are allowed to import brown sugar from extra-regional sources and compete with us, that’s not sound business — it’s bad news for the entire sector,” he said.

Sugar remains vital to the country’s economy, not only for sale but also for the production of molasses — a key ingredient in rum — and for food security, since sugar producers rotate about 25 per cent of their acreage with food crops, according to Sealy.

He warned that if the practice continues, both farmers and the island’s only sugar factory could go under.

“The market for brown sugar in Barbados is between 3 500 and 4 000 tonnes. If you’re bringing in cheaper sugar from countries with lower labour and fuel costs, the factory cannot compete or sell to retailers,” he explained. “The unsold stock affects cash flow, and that means farmers won’t get paid.”

“If that continues, it’s a slippery slope — soon there won’t be a sugar industry in Barbados. Why compete with your own product, when those companies could easily buy locally and support Barbadian farmers?”

The BSIL chairman said private farmers are baffled as to why licences would be granted allowing distributors to import brown sugar that directly competes with domestic production. He dismissed suggestions that the move was prompted by shortages.

“There is no shortage,” he insisted. “The factory has sugar in storage. Allowing these imports makes no sense — distributors just want a higher margin because they can buy cheaper elsewhere.”

When contacted, Barbados Private Sector Association Chairman Jimmy Clarke said he would need to investigate the issue before offering a comment.

Last year, Minister of Agriculture Indar Weir also criticised what he called excessive sugar imports that were “undermining the beleaguered local industry”. He urged private distributors to buy domestic sugar to protect farmers and sustain production.

“We have more imported sugar than we need,” Weir said at the time. “We don’t need it for supermarket shelves or manufacturing — people are simply trying to beat the price.”

His ministry, he added, continues to monitor the issue closely. The minister could not be reached for comment on Friday.    emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb