At the end of February, Guyana produced a total of 175,600 metric tonnes of sugar, with 18,628 tonnes exported to markets in Europe and Caricom.

According to data from the Sugar Association of the Caribbean (SAC), Guyana has so far produced the most sugar out of Barbados, Belize, Jamaica and Trinidad. However, Guyana has exported less than Jamaica, which moved 19,885 tonnes. “This is Jamaica’s first export of quota to the USA since 2007,” Karl James, the association’s chairman, is quoted as saying, adding that “we have now learnt that the US Department of Agriculture has allocated an additional 954 tonnes to Jamaica for this year, effective April

1. They have also removed the quotas from, Barbados, Haiti, Trinidad & Tobago and St Kitts, none of whom has shipped any sugar to USA for many years.”

Statistics reveal that of the 18,628 metric tonnes that Guyana has exported, 16,856 metric tonnes were exported to EU territories and 1,772 metric tonnes to CARICOM territories. Jamaican sugar exports totalled 25,897 metric tons at the end of February, more than half of the 40,183 metric tonnes that were exported by the association’s member territories.

During February, the SAC said that Guyana produced a total of 25,219, metric tonnes, the second highest in the region after Jamaica’s 30,450 tonnes.

Out of this amount, Guyana exported 9,490 metric tonnes to Europe and 734 metric tonnes to Caricom territories.

Meanwhile, a release from the association says that during this year Guyana will be able to ship a total of 13,677 tonnes to the USA, which is above its original quota of 12,636 for the year.