With the sugar industry set to record another dismal performance this year, the Agriculture Minister is expected provide a report on the state of the Guyana Sugar Corporation and the sugar industry to the President.

On Thursday, Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo revealed that the Agriculture Minister was summoned by the President and ordered to submit a report on the state of the Sugar Industry following consultations with the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and the Guyana Agriculture and General Workers Union (GAWU) among other key stakeholders. 

In the report, the Agriculture Minister is expected to explain the significant drop in sugar production. 

As of October 26, 2024, GuySuCo had only produced 24,711 tons of sugar, which represents less than 40% of its target for the year.

The Vice President said while GuySuCo has assured government that it will increase production through expanded cultivation, and will produce between 60,000 and 70,000 tons of sugar, the new estimate is well below the initial target set. 

“Clearly, that is below their target, so, the Minister of Agriculture has to explain to the president why they are under performing on their target and to give credible explanation,” Jagdeo told reporters. 

According to the Vice President, the report will also include updates on the push by GuySuCo to secure varieties of cane from Brazil and Cuba; information on the state of the factories and required capital investments; mechanization; and human resource issues including those with management. 

Jagdeo said government is cognizant of some the challenges facing GuySuCo. 

“Sugar workers, they have been working very hard. A lot of things are stacked against them. When you have so much, you have to reorient almost the entire industry. I have seen an attempt to do so now in a major way – the conversion of the beds for mechanization, that requires a lot of capital input now but will yield the benefits later, mechanized harvesting and sowing. That has been done,” the Vice President said. 

Earlier this week, Executive Member of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), Dr David Hinds said the Government will have to make some tough decisions on the future of the Sugar Industry. 

He said after injecting billions of dollars into the industry, the Government may be too embarrassed to admit that the industry requires a “complete overhaul” as detailed in the 2015 Report of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into GuySuCo.

The 2015 COI had recommended the amalgamation of the sugar estates – a recommendation the now ruling People’s Progressive Party /Civic (PPP/C) fiercely rejected. 

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