By Cedric Johnson, Gleaner WriterWESTERN BUREAU:
WHILE EXPRESSING a willingness to accept the still to be disbursed $150 million replanting loan that was allocated to them two years ago, the West End Cane Farmers' Association wants the sum to be increased by $350 million.
"We are appealing to Government and the Sugar Industry Authority (SIA) to release the money now, but we would like an additional $350 million, as the original amount is no longer enough," said Mr. Astill Sangster, the chairman of the West End Cane Farmers' Association. "We want to start the replanting programme now, as the longer it is delayed, the greater the production cost will be."
Asked to explain the demand for the extra $350 million, Mr. Sangster said the original amount was not enough in the first place. According to him, the farmers had only decided to accept that amount because they needed to get their replanting off the ground.
"You have to consider the increasing cost of production and the additional fields that we will be putting into cultivation," said Mr. Sangster. "In keeping with the demand for increased output, we have to increase production to meet that demand."
While seemingly ready to accept the loan, Mr. Sangster is still maintaining that the farmers are unhappy with the conditions under which the loan is to be disbursed. According to him, while the cane farmers would be happy to access the loan through a crop lien repayment system, Government has made it clear that they must put up adequate collateral before any money is disbursed to them.
Additionally, Mr. Sangster is contending that the farmers are not happy with the harvesting system that is now in place. According to him, under the method that is now in use, too much cane is going to waste.
"We are going to insist on more efficiency in the field of operations," said Mr. Sangster. "That way, we can guarantee ourselves a better price for the 2003-2004 crop sugar, which is set to begin in December."
