AN INCREASE in sugar cane production has significantly contributed to the estimated $8.5 million output in the agricultural sector for the second quarter of 2001, according to the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) report. This figure represents a 19 per cent increase over the figure for the corresponding period in 2000.
In its 'Economic Update and Outlook' for the July to September quarter, the PIOJ stated that the value of sugar cane [production] increased to $1,167.92 million from $203.6 million during the same period in 2000. The volume of agriculture output, as indicated by the PIOJ's Index of Agricultural Production, increased by 2.6 per cent over the similar period of the previous year. This increase represents the third successive quarter of positive growth in 2001, the report said.
According to the PIOJ, the volume of sugar cane crushed amounted to 101,824 tonnes compared with 17,167 tonnes during the corresponding period of 2000. However, it noted that the relatively large increase in sugar cane milled during the review quarter was due to delays in milling operations, which caused a shift in production activities from January to June.
Although there was an increase in the amount of sugar cane milled during the current crop year, there was a 5.5 per cent decline in the volume of sugar produced.
The report blamed unfavourable weather conditions for the negative growth experienced in each of the first three-quarters of 2000.
"Although there was drought in some parishes during the review quarter, the sector continued to benefit from increased crop acreage and Government assistance in the form of distribution of seeds, planting material and other inputs."
For the domestic crop sub-sector, there was increased acreage of 6.2 per cent, which reflected a two per cent growth in output relative to the similar period of 2000. "All crop groups with the exception of vegetables, showed increases ranging from 2.2 per cent to 32.3 per cent," the report said.
With regard to the livestock sector, the production of poultry islandwide, was estimated to have declined by 4.4 per cent. This reduction was due to over-supply during the previous quarter.
