GAWU voices concerns over shortfall in sugar production for 2024

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) on Monday expressed deep concern over the current trend of sugar production.

Describing itself as the principal bargaining agent in the sugar industry, the union stated that as of October 26, 2024, the Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. (GuySuCo) produced 24,711 tonnes of sugar, representing just 39 per cent of its 63,276-tonne target.

GAWU noted that with 60 per cent of the cropping period already exhausted, it is not optimistic that the corporation can close the deficit within the remaining weeks of the season.

Furthermore, the union remarked that, from its perspective, the industry's current state cannot be separated from the management of its cultivation and agricultural operations.

The union also pointed out that, prior to the start of the crop season, it had drawn GuySuCo’s attention to several critical issues that required intervention, only to have these concerns seemingly brushed aside.

While referencing several issues it had raised, GAWU said it was puzzled that daily production levels remained constrained.

To this end, the union stated that the major challenge revolves around the quality of the canes produced. Although the industry’s cane yields have been higher than anticipated, GAWU explained that the sucrose content remains low.

Moreover, the union posited that, with the collective managerial experience within GuySuCo, better planning could have been implemented to mitigate some of these challenges.

The union expressed its belief that the sugar industry can succeed, but knowledgeable and capable management is an essential prerequisite for that success.

In light of these concerns, GAWU urged policymakers to consider removing those who have positioned themselves as the "saviours" of the industry but have, in fact, placed it in a stranglehold.

These individuals, GAWU noted, often seek to blame everyone and everything but themselves for the difficulties that GuySuCo currently faces.