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By Shamar Blunt
Government declared Wednesday it is moving to transform the over 300-year-old sugar industry from being heavily subsidized to a robust economic driver built on sustainability.
Minister of Agriculture Indar Weir made the declaration as a new Chinese-made sugarcane harvester was handed over to the ministry.
In brief remarks, Weir thanked makers Zoomlion, who is based out of the Hunan Province, and the Chinese Embassy for making the donation possible. He said that the sugar industry was in the midst of a restructuring that will see it grow considerably to the benefit of all Barbadians.
He said: “The sugar industry in Barbados can no longer go on as a bulk producer of sugar that is exported at substantial losses to the BAMC (Barbados Agricultural Management Company Ltd). To that extent, the government is moving to transition the industry, from one of bulk sugar production to a value chain industry.
“Therefore going forward, the industry will no longer be producing bulk sugar for export, but has already started the process of transformation, by producing sugar for domestic consumption, and sugar export for direct consumption in the international markets.”
Barbados also intends to extensively expand its manufacturing capabilities into sugar cane by-products such as molasses as well as fertilizers for farmers, he added.
Weir declared: “Our focus is also, on the production of molasses for the rum industry in Barbados, as well as making sure we take advantage of the opportunities that are available in renewable energy.
“The by-products of the factory will also be used to produce fertilizers, giving the industry for the first time in its history, the opportunity for value chain development, right through the entire value chain system.”
A new government entity, BESCO (Barbados Energy and Sugar Company) has already been greenlit to take charge of the sugar cane industry, with the aim of giving Barbadians the ability to invest in the industry by becoming shareholders, said the farm minister.
Chinese Ambassador Yan Xiusheng said that the gift of the harvester was a step in a growing partnership between the two nations in support of the new growth expected in the sugar cane industry.
Yan said: “The donation from Zoomlion to Barbados, [occurred] at a very opportune time, which marks the beginning of our cooperation in the field of agriculture.
“[With this] signing of the [agreement] of agricultural products between Hunan and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security of Barbados, the cooperation of our sides will definitely enter into a new era of development.” (SB)
