Barbados has produced only 7 800 tonnes of sugar from about 93 600 tonnes of cane this year, one of the most disappointing harvests in the last decade.
And while the only poorer year was 2016’s yield of less than 7 000, it was a big drop from the 10 961 tonnes in 2018, and fell well below official expectations.
In January, general manager of the Government-owned Barbados Agricultural Management Company (BAMC), Leslie Parris, predicted 11 000 tonnes of sugar would be produced from 146 000 tonnes of cane. Two months later, he revised those numbers to 136 000 tonnes of cane and 9 000 tonnes of sugar. Harvesting began in early March.
Minister of Agriculture Indar Weir, while admitting this year’s output was a disappointment, told THE NATION the ongoing drought was partly to blame. (SB)
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