(Jamaica Gleaner) Jamaica’s sugar import will see a reduction for the 2012-2013 crop year following a decision to focus on supplying the lucrative local market.
“We have a preliminary projection of about 140,000 tonnes for the next sugar crop, and we will be supplying all the sugar needed for the domestic market from this amount,” Ambassador Derrick Heaven, executive chairman of the Sugar Industry Authority (SIA), told The Gleaner.
Jamaica imports some 60,000 tonnes of brown sugar annually, mainly from other producing countries in the region to satisfy local demand. However, the additional 65,000 tonnes of the refined product that the country also consumes would still have to be sourced from overseas.
“I can safely say that as of this 2012-2013 crop year, all the raw sugar for local consumption will be supplied from locally produced sugar, but to be on the safe side, we might still do small pockets of imports just in case of a shortage,” he confirmed.
