Bitter-sweet cane harvesting
Publication: Daily Nation
Paper Section And Page: 3
Paper Date: Mon, April 24, 2001
MORE THAN 70 per cent of the sugar cane crop has been ground so far, but workers say the prolonged drought has had its effect on harvesting.
According to figures provided by the Barbados Agricultural Management Company (BAMC), 314.381 tonnes of cane has been ground, or 71 per cent of the crop. The crop is expected to finish next month, and the latest estimated production figure for this year is 52 000 tonnes.
With just over five weeks to end of the crop, several plantations in St. John have wrapped up harvesting, and workers are saying that the crop was too short for them. Todds Estates was the latest in the CLICO Group of estates to end harvesting of its crop, which lasted nine weeks. Workers say that the prolonged drought had taken its toll on the yield, and were hoping that next yearıs harvest would be a better one.
In relation to fires, official statistics say that 202.69 acres of canes were burnt on BAMC farms up to the end of last month.