Not business as usual

Cognisant that the current business model employed in the sugar industry is unsustainable, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Indar Weir, says plans are on stream to revamp it soon.

Minister Weir spoke to this as he delivered remarks yesterday morning at the Calvary Temple Community Church at Groves, St. Philip, where the congregation was celebrating the 2019 Sugar Cane harvest. Weir said the reality concerning the business model has made it necessary to look at ways to improve efficiencies and as such, he told those gathered that the intention is, in the not too distant future, to transition the industry to be private sector led.

In that vein, he revealed that a private sector entity will take over the operations of the factory and lands, which are currently managed by the state-owned Barbados Agricultural Management Company (BAMC). This move, he explained, should allow the industry to become more financially viable going forward.

“While the cultivation of sugar will continue with raw and special sugars for the local and overseas markets, it is envisaged that there would be increased production of molasses for the local rum industry, as well as increased biomass feedstock to generate electricity to feed into the national grid. This is the vision for the transitioning of the current sugar industry into what will be called a sugar cane industry. Significantly, we only focus on the production of sugar and some molasses and that model has to change,” he insisted.

His comments came just moments after he spoke of the declining state of the cane industry, which he explained has been the result, in part, of poor farm management over the years and limited resources to adequately prepare and maintain the lands. Added to that, the agriculture minister said that in more recent times, the sugar crop has also been adversely affected by climate change.

“The performance of the sugar crop and crops in general is directly related to good timing of operations, and is dependent on the dry and wet seasons at the usual times during the year. However, this global phenomenon climate change, characterised by torrential rains and periods of severe drought at unaccustomed times of the year, can devastate farmers’ livelihoods and by extension the economy of any country that is dependent on agriculture. This is very significant to our existence today,” he stated.

Weir added, “So brothers and sisters, we do need to pray for the sugar industry, pray for God’s guidance as Government and stakeholders collaborate to develop systems and mechanisms to mitigate against climate change and to chart a way forward for the industry. For our small beloved island cannot afford to lose this important element of our heritage, which has helped to bring the country and our people to the level of growth and development we enjoy today.”

The Agriculture and Food Security Minister, during his address, also took the opportunity to offer condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of British national Paul Clifford, who fell 70 feet to his death on Saturday afternoon at the Portvale Sugar Factory, where he was doing repairs to the main building. Weir said he was deeply saddened by the loss and wished the best for the team at Portvale, who are set to resume work on Monday.

Speaking earlier in the service, Senior Pastor of Calvary Temple Community Church, Pastor Andre Symmonds, said the Church was believing God for several things during this year’s sugar harvest, among them new ideas to help flourish the sugar industry; a sugar cane harvest that exceeds the 9 000 tonnes target that has been set this year; harmonious relationships between the management and sugar workers; smooth functioning of all equipment and machinery during this year’s harvest; and protection against all natural and man-made disasters. (JRT)