Claudine Housen, Staff ReporterSUGAR COMPANY of Jamaica (SCJ) executives say they are confident that the company will meet its February production target of 12,000 tonnes, despite delays in start dates for the government owned factories it operates.
The issue of whether the SCJ will be able to make its quota for the first sugar shipment on February 12 comes in the wake of complaints from the All Island Cane Farmers Association (AICFA) that only one tandem (production line) is in operation at the Frome Sugar Estate, in Westmoreland, while other estates were either not working at full capacity or were experiencing delays in operation. The list of factories in operation are the Frome Sugar Estate, Bernard Lodge Sugar Factory, and St. Thomas Sugar Factory.
"Based on the number of factories that are currently in operation and the daily production level of each of the factories, we are confident that we will meet our target," said Mr. Livingston Morrison, president and chief executive officer of the SCJ, in an interview with The Gleaner on Friday.
But Alty Lewis, vice chairman of the West End Cane Farmers' Association, said production was below the level expected . He said the Frome factory should be producing over 4,000 tonnes of sugar a day on its single operating production line, but is making just 2,000 tonnes.
EFFICIENCY LEVELS HIGH
The overall production target is six to seven thousand tonnes a day but the two lines will have to be operating to achieve that level, Mr. Lewis said.
Mr. Morrison admitted that the production target was attainable, even though the SCJ was facing problems.
"The level of cushion (sugar in storage) we have had in previous years is not there this year," he said. "It is close, but with continued focus we should be able to make it."
"The factories have been operating at efficiency levels in the mid 90 per cent range since the start of the crop," he said. "That compares to below 80 last year and below 70 in the past years. "More sugar was also being extracted from each tonne of sugar cane, Mr. Morrison also said . "This year is looking pretty good. This is a result of the tremendous work done in draining the entire cane growing area in Westmoreland."
The SCJ stated in a recent release that work was continuing "in earnest" to prepare the Moneymusk and Long Pond Factories for the start of the 2004/2005 crop.
Cedric Johnson, Gleaner Correspondent, also contributed to this article.
