Jamaica's sugar industry sees sweet times
Published:Tuesday | April 15, 2014 | 12:00 AM
Mark Titus, Gleaner Writer
Western Bureau:
For the first time in more than a decade, local producers are now providing all the sugar required to satisfy the lucrative domestic market, which in former times had to be supplemented by supplies from the import market.
"All the sugar on the domestic market is locally produced," said Karl James, the general manager of Jamaica Cane Products Sales (JCPS), in an interview with The Gleaner last week. "Over 40,000 tonnes were bagged for the domestic market ... . Our people will enjoy our own Jamaican sugar and there is enough to last to at least December."
In the 1980s, when production in the local sugar industry began falling steadily, Jamaica began importing sugar to meet local demands. Since then, Jamaica had been importing some 60,000 tonnes of brown sugar annually.
According to James, who is also chairman of the Sugar Association of the Caribbean, Jamaica has already shipped 46,000 tonnes of the 70,000 tonnes quota of raw sugar to Tate & Lyle. It is expected that Jamaica will complete the second of the three years' supply deal to the British refiner by the end of June.
"The second batch left our shores last Saturday," said James. "... Our projection for the crop year is holding firm, so we should be ending the season at the 139,000-140,000 tonnes compared to the 128,000 we did last year."
Prior to the 2011 divestment of several local sugar factories, the JCPS handled all sugar exports from Jamaica. However, they now share marketing-agent status with Pan Caribbean Sugar Company, the new owner of the Bernard Lodge, Monymusk and Frome sugar estates.
At the start of the crop year, several stakeholders expressed confidence that this year would be an excellent one for local sugar producers. However, there were jitters when the sector was hit by unrest in March.
At that time, more than 4,000 sugar workers threatened to take industrial action following failed negotiations, involving their unions and the Sugar Producers Federation, over improved wage and other fringe benefits.