The 2018 sugar crop is finally under way following a pledge by Government to start paying cane farmers this week, most of the $8.9 million in outstanding payments for the 2016-2017 crop.
Chairman of the Barbados Sugar Industry Limited (BSIL) Mark Sealy told Barbados TODAY this afternoon the agreement was reached on Friday at a meeting between the Ministry of Agriculture and representatives of BSIL, the Barbados Agricultural Management Company and the Barbados Cane Industry Corporation.
“They agreed to pay us this week 60 per cent of the outstanding amount owed, which is $5.3 million of approximately $8.9 million,” Sealy, who represents the independent cane farmers, said.
“We felt it was in the interest of sugar workers
. . . farmers and also in the interest of Barbados that in good faith we would proceed with the crop . . . and the crop actually started today . . . . Early in the morning the farmers were cutting cane, canes were being transported to Portvale,” he added.
Sealy said he was uncertain when Government would pay the remainder of the outstanding amount, adding that he was “hoping we would get it shortly, but that is something that is being worked on”.
The spokesman for the cane farmers also stressed that with the crop starting just over a month late, this could have adverse implications for next year’s harvest.
“I think at the beginning of the year, if we had cut the crop in February, I believe the projection was ten per cent higher than last year, and therefore it would be 11,000 tonnes of sugar rather than 10,000 tonnes of sugar at the same sugar levels. Now the challenge would be that we are starting the crop in early April when you should start a crop in early February. So there is definitely going to be some adverse effect on next year’s crop,” he explained, adding that the impact would become clearer in another three weeks.
He said grinding of the canes at the lone sugar factory, Portvale in St James, would likely begin on Wednesday. (EJ)
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I think sugar is still important but I do not understand why the government subsidizes to the tune of over 2 million dollars.
Commonsence is better than nonsence! Why would a country who knows the technology to produce its own sugar let it go to waste, then import the product paying tranportation cost, duties and taxes when that very product can be produced and be of higher grade than that imported. Please take the stigmas out of your brains Bajan people. It a new day with new horizons! Step aboard the Global village and find ways and means to lower production costs.
@belfast - Surely Barrow as a "visionary" would have wanted a better deal or prescription for this people.
I HOPE.
This people still as the 'cradle'
stage of development. We cannot even get into a pushchair.
@Belfast - when is this people going to come out of this servant/work/job/servitude mentality?
well said CCC especially at 3rd and 4th comment. All the time them turn the race bullet at people like you, the hog swelling and running his course.
I suppose that Mr Barrow was looking towards diversification, that is why he went on to facilitate the opening up of numerous manufacturing plants in the industrial estates all across the island employing thousands of young men and women.
Today wild, and this government's cultivated myomosity brush and cowitch fields outnumber by far the few remaining acres of sugar canes fields. Most of the manufacturing plants in the industrial estates are all closed.Diversification D-E-A-D.
This lot should be ashamed to mention the name Errol Barrow, in any form.
RALPH W TALMA
Black Bajan people cant be racist.
They are at the bottom of the heap. They explain other races and their affluent lifestyles while Black Bajan people feed off the crumbs from the other races tables.
1. @Carson C Cadogan. Why is it that every utterance you make always seems to be racist? Can you not discuss a subject on its merits alone?
2. My congratulations to Mr Seale for putting his country first. Well done Sir. I hope Brexit proves a boon for your industry.
3. The sugar industry consists of a lot more than just 'sugar. Many products are produced therefrom, especially B'dos Rum - a product to which I am very partial. Indeed, I have only just opened my refilled decanter which my boy Edwy brought back earlier this month - a product loved the world over, and which brings much needed revenue to the Treasury. So long live B'dos sugar and it by-products.
I would really like to see on a percentage basis how this money is shared out.
How much goes to white Bajans, how much goes to Black Bajans, how much go Indians.
I, like Errol Barrow, am looking for the day when there is not a single cane blade in Barbados.