The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) last week surpassed the half-way point of its 2015 first crop target ending the week with over 45,000 tonnes of sugar produced.
The state-owned company has not officially disclosed its targets and sources told Stabroek News that only the first crop target of 86,201 tonnes of sugar has been circulated. Minister of Agriculture Dr Leslie Ramsammy had told state media that the 2015 production target is 240,000 tonnes but GuySuCo Chief Executive Officer Raj Singh last week refused to confirm the figure. Sources said that only Singh and management in Industrial Relations have been provided with the annual target.
GuySuCo traditionally sets its two crop targets at a 40:60 ratio which would ultimately result in an annual production target of 215,502 tonnes for this year, well below the minister’s 240,000 tonnes claim. According to the 2013-2017 Strategic Plan, the target for 2015 was supposed to be 312,871 tonnes with a first crop target at 125,148 tonnes.