By Claude Mills, Staff ReporterJAMAICA, THE largest sugar producer in the Caribbean, has recorded its lowest production output in the last 60 years. The significant decline in production this year has forced the industry to up its importation of sugar by over 100 per cent in the past year.
"This is the worst sugar cane production in 60 years," Karl James, general manager of Jamaica Cane Products and Sales, told The Gleaner yesterday. "We could have done a lot better to prepare our factories to better extract more sugar from the canes."
The local industry was able to meet its European Union quota of 126,000 tonnes, but failed, for the first time, to fulfil its US obligation of 11,580 tonnes. The overall sugar production fell by 12.7 per cent over last year's dismal figures of 174,840, to a new low of 152,568.
Industry analysts have cited poor farming practices and the flood rains which adversely affected the agriculture industry in the latter months of last year as reasons for the dismal production results.
"One of the reasons that sugar production fell last year was the flooding of fields in Westmoreland, Hanover, St. Elizabeth and Clarendon in particular. In some cases, the fields were under water for over a week, the cane couldn't be reaped, and they eventually died. The situation was compounded this year because of that, but we expect that we will produce more cane next year, and we'll be able to give an estimate of that in September," Mr. James said.
ANOTHER TERRIBLE YEAR
This is the second consecutive year that production has dipped below the 180,000-tonne level, and the decline has resulted in a significant increase in the importation of sugar to supply local demand. To date, 24,000 tonnes of sugar have been imported; however, additional imports are expected before the end of the year.
"We are expecting to receive an additional 10,000 tonnes of sugar to meet current demand," Mr. James said.
Last year, 16,336 tonnes were imported to make up for the shortfall in production, while in 2001, 14,826 tonnes were imported. Despite the raft of problems the sugar industry is now experiencing, Mr. James remained optimistic that the industry could turn its fortunes around in the near future.
"There was a year when Zimbabwe produced only 25,000 tonnes of sugar because they experienced a severe drought, and the rivers had dropped. However, everyone knew and understood the problems they were facing, and the next year, the country produced 500,000 tonnes of sugar," he said.
"There is a future for sugar in Jamaica if we can get our act together, and get down to serious business instead of talking. Appleton has invested some $3 billion, Worthy Park has invested money, what we need is more action and less talk. We can turn things around," Mr. James said.
