Cane Harvester to speed up processing

Chairman of the All-Island Cane Farmers' Association (AIJCFA), Allan Rickards, says a small cane harvester that can be pulled by a suitable tractor is to arrive in the island soon. This equipment is expected to improve the process of converting cane to sugar.

"There is a piece of equipment that should have arrived in the island in February to be tested; a small harvester that is pulled behind a tractor that can harvest on smaller acreages and also on sloping lands. Because of the bureaucracy involved in procurement, that piece of equipment don't come here yet. It is scheduled to arrive this month, which means meaningful testing of it cannot be done this crop, as was the intention, because the thing is not expensive."

He told The Gleaner that the harvester would pave the way for a full return to green cane harvesting. According to Rickards, this is imperative not only because of agronomic reasons but also owing to environmental factors.

- C.S.