1,500 hectares of cane to be cultivated at Skeldon Estate by year-end – Mustapha

The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is set to cultivate some 1,500 hectares of sugarcane in mechanized fields at the Skeldon Sugar Estate in Region Six by the end of 2025.

This ambitious plan was announced by Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha during a recent appearance on the ‘Guyana Dialogue’ programme, where he spoke about the expansion of sugar cane cultivation at the Skeldon Estate.

“We have started the cultivation of canes once again at Skeldon. We are hoping by the end of this year, we can plant 1,500 hectares of cane in mechanised fields [there]. The target is another 5,000 hectares of cultivation [that] we’ll do at Skeldon,” he noted.

In addition to Skeldon, GuySuCo is expanding cultivation efforts at Rose Hall, Blairmont, and Albion estates. Already, some 40% of GuySuCo’s cultivation has been mechanised.

Significant investments have been made since the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration returned to power in 2020, totaling over $28 billion to improve productivity across the sector. This includes $13.3 billion allocated for 2025 alone.

Minister Mustapha noted that government has set an ambitious target of producing 101,000 tonnes of sugar for GuySuCo in 2025, aiming to reduce production costs through increased output.

Currently, sugar is being produced at US$1.131 per pound and is sold at US$0.171 (17 cents) per pound.

In 2024, the sugar sector contracted by 21.8 per cent with GuySuCo producing 47,103 tonnes from the 63,276-tonne target. The low production was as a result of the impact of El Niño, compounded by labour shortages across the industry throughout last year.

The sum of $15.5 billion was expended that year to support the sugar industry, including the acquisition of six new cane harvesters; conversion of 2,734 hectares of land for mechanised cultivation and harvesting, and rehabilitation of critical revetment works.

In 2025, an additional 3,068 hectares of land will be converted to support mechanisation. Key investments will be made to acquire additional field equipment, rehabilitate field infrastructure, and construct over 17 kilometres of all-weather roads across the industry.

For these efforts, some $13.3 billion was approved as part of the Agriculture Ministry’s $104.6 billion budget– to support and rehabilitate the sugar industry this year.