Albion, Rose Hall sugar estates grinding as weather improves

Feb 14, 2012 News

-Wales, Enmore and Skeldon factories to begin shortly

Grinding commenced at the Albion and Rose Hall Sugar factories on Sunday, after a delayed

Some of the cane being taken to the factory during production at the Albion Sugar Factory

start in operations attributed to the incessant rainfalls and severe flooding during the past few weeks.
Although cane cutting began at the Uitvlugt and Blairmont factories earlier this year, the inclement weather had also interrupted their operations.
Paul Bhim, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), yesterday told Kaieteur News that the other three factories – Skeldon, Enmore and LBI–are expected to start grinding within the next few weeks.
According to Bhim, grinding is scheduled to commence at the Wales Sugar factory some time this week. The Enmore factory will begin grinding early next week followed by the Skeldon Sugar factory on February 25.
“This year’s target of 265,000 tonnes is achievable,” he declared, but said this would depend on the turnout of workers as well as the canes being taken to the factories within a reasonable period of time.
He added that even though the company may have to cope with delays in grinding, with good work being provided, GuySuCo would be able to “make up for it” and meet the target which will not be revised.
Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, is also of the opinion that the sugar industry will perform better in 2012.
Dr. Ramsammy told Kaieteur News that these factories have begun grinding without any major difficulties and within a short period all seven factories will be fully operational.
“The initial report from those factories that are grinding as of this week is that the factories have encountered no major problems and I am also assured that the factories that are to grind in the coming weeks are also prepared in such a way that there should be no problems once grinding starts,” said Dr. Ramsammy.
Dr. Ramsammy visited the Albion factory on Sunday, a few hours after operations began. It is expected that there would be 13 complete weeks of grinding for the first crop since there is enough cane to supply the factories during this period.
“We are looking forward to the first crop which will last 13 weeks and I am assured that there is enough cane to supply factories for full operations in this 13 weeks.

The Albion Sugar Factory

“This is important because it would have set the tone for the performance of GuySuCo for 2012.
“At Albion the factory’s first day production was on target, the yield is on target and I’m optimistic from the preparation that this first crop will be an overall successful crop,” Ramsammy stated.