The Albion sugar estate is expected to start harvesting today and grinding operations are expected to commence in a few days, following the burning of the first beds of canes yesterday, with Estate Manager, Threbhowan Shiwprasad saying that he is optimistic about the future of the estate and GuySuCo in general.
Initially, the first crop was expected to start later in the month, however due to the favourable weather, the Albion Estate decided to bring forward the date and get the ball rolling, as GuySuCo works towards a production target of 97,420 metric tonnes for 2021.
“We did a steam trial yesterday and in the steam trial most of the vessels we run up, they run very successful, all the results that we are looking for. We still have a few adjustment and I am very optimistic with some of the work we do that the factory will be grinding more hours with less down time and that would help us,” Shiwprasad told Stabroek News yesterday.
According to the estate manager, they have replaced, refurbished, and carried out works on the rollers, chains, vessels and many parts of the factory. “That would help us as long as you bring cane to the factory and it could process it and crush it you will be producing more sugar and you will have more punts in circulation and more people working every day so that that cycle can continue because the cycle is very important because whenever you bring adequate cane the factory keep turning it over,” he stressed.
Shiwprasad disclosed that the estate’s capital project for this year is estimated at $1.8 billion and additional monies for other projects are expected. “It will be at Albion in excess of $2 billion Guyanese dollars going into capital field, agriculture and the factory.”
He added that 40% of that sum will go towards the factory, while 60% will go towards the agriculture which includes machinery and infrastructure since they have a cultivation of 9,616 hectares.
Shiwprasad, also spoke of their fight against COVID-19, noting that they are not only ready with sanitising agents, forehead thermometers and hand-washing sinks, but also, additional lorries have been secured to transport workers to and from work locations.
