Cuba's raw sugar output amounted to 1.1 million tonnes as of April 30, Cuban President Fidel Castro said Monday. That would be below last year's harvest of around 1.3 million tonnes which marked the lowest since 1908.
Castro, speaking at a May Day rally, said many mills would grind on into May though he admitted harvesting and milling would become more difficult as summer set in.
Summer heat and rain usually begin by May, slowing the harvest and dropping yields.
Cuba planned to produce 1.3 million to 1.5 million tonnes, similar to the 2005 crop, and shut down by May. But a slow start and supply problems have meant milling has averaged around 70 percent of capacity, below the 79 percent planned, according to official media reports,
Castro said that on February 14, when he held an industry meeting, just 200,000 tonnes had been produced. He praised the efforts since then, in particular planting for future seasons.
The Caribbean island consumes a minimum 700,000 tonnes of sugar per year and 400,000 tonnes are destined for a toll agreement with China. Cuba, once the world's biggest raw sugar exporter, has reduced acreage by more than 60 percent since 2003 and dismantled 71 of 156 mills. Last June, 43 more mills were closed, though preserved, after the harvest weighed in at around 1.3 million tonnes, the lowest since 1908.
Cuban Sugar Minister Ulises Rosales del Toro recently said Cuba planned to boost output in 2007 and beyond by increasing acreage and the use of fertiliser and herbicides, by purchasing new equipment, and reopening some 30 mills. The Sugar Ministry has also begun negotiations with various companies to form joint ventures.
Comments
Comments are closed.