( L - R ) Clarke, James and Rickards

John Myers Jr., Farmers Weekly Coordinator

Jamaica is moving to boost sugar production in light of an announcement late last week by the European Union (EU) that St. Kitt's quota would be reallocated to sugar producers in the region.

Minister of Agriculture and Lands, Roger Clarke, said efforts were under way to ensure that Jamaica is able to take advantage of the increased quota.

"What we have to do is strive towards taking it up because the fact is this is important, and it is good that it has been kept in theregion," he said yesterday. He said a major replanting exercise was being undertaken at the Monymusk sugar factory and a programme was being put in place to assist farmers to improve production.

Last year, the country produced a disappointing 147,000 tonnes of sugar. However, the projection for this year has been put at 160,000 tonnes.

The EU announced that the approximately 15,590 tonnes of sugar produced by St. Kitts would be allocated to Jamaica, Guyana, Belize and Barbados. However, the EU has not yet announced how the quota would be divided among the four Caribbean countries.

St. Kitt's allocation became available as a result of the closure of that country's sugar industry in 2005.

A victory

In the meantime, stakeholders in the sugar industry here are hailing the increased allocation as a victory for the region in light of strong competition, especially from African countries within the African, Pacific and Caribbean (ACP) group to get the extra amount.

"We feel that we have been victorious in taking our stance and we are now looking at how we can deliver the (additional amount)," said Karl James, general manager of Jamaica Cane Product Sales.

"The sugar industry in the Caribbean had taken a stance that any quota shortfall among Caribbean producers should be reallocated among the remaining producers. We had strong opposition from other parts of the ACP, but we had stuck our ground and the heads of governments had accepted our position and defended it," he added.

Allan Rickards, chairman of the All-Island Jamaica Cane Farmers' Association, also expressed similar sentiments. "The principle having been accepted by the other ACP countries is a major advance because it was not going to happen, we suspect, without a struggle because we know there were some African countries who were sharpening their teeth for the St. Kitts shortfall and looking down the road for the Trinidad situation," he told Farmers Weekly.

Region to benefit

Animals grazing in a sugar cane field on the former Belmont Estate in St. Kitts and Nevis in July last year - File photos

He said St. Kitt's quota was in danger of being reallocated to ACP sugar producing countries outside the region, but "it is a major victory for the joint diplomatic efforts of the sack countries."

Mr. James noted that the additional quota would most likely benefit Jamaica, Belize and Guyana, as Barbados was already struggling to meet their existing quota with the EU.

Mr. Rickards said Jamaica, Belize and Guyana should be able to produce enough to deliver the additional quota.