Sugar production this year will not reach 100,000 tonnes and will be the lowest production of GuySuCo in its now 43-year history. In fact, when we checked our records which go back to 1940, it is the lowest production ever. During the year, our Union too, on several occasions, expressed concern about the level of production. With production coming to an end this weekend, it is apparent that the sugar corporation will not even be able to realize the revised production we had estimated. It is an unfortunate turn of events for the industry which has the possibilities to record much higher levels of production. Information obtained by the GAWU informs that sugar production as at yesterday (December 19) was as follows:-
| Estate | Year Target | Year to Date | Variance |
| Albion | 58,054 | 46,401 | (11,653) |
| Blairmont | 31,239 | 25,205 | (6,034) |
| Uitvlugt | 20,413 | 22,269 | 1,856 |
| Total | 109,706 | 93,875 | (15,831) |
The production especially in the second crop was affected by the poor reliability of the industry’s factories. Apart from the non-achievement of the target, large quantities of canes earmarked to be harvested will have to be carried-over into the first crop of 2020. At Albion 950 hectares of canes are expected to stand unharvested when the crop ends, at Blairmont nearly 615 hectares are estimated to be left back and at Uitvlugt 135 hectares were not harvested. By the time the canes are harvested next year they will be over-matured. Apart from lesser sugar content, such canes are more problematic to harvest and could well present challenges to the workers next year. It is disturbing that the industry would have expended large sums to tend these canes with an expectation of high results in sugar but now will find itself in a situation whereby there will be lower returns than anticipated.
Regarding the breakdown of the factories, we need to recall that $30B has been borrowed in GuySuCo’s name to address this very issue, among other things. For the GAWU, it appears, while the grass grows the horse is starving. We further note that the breakdowns are occurring when a number of retired personnel had been recruited which makes us wonder whether they are up to their responsibilities.
