Cuban raw sugar output from this seasons harvest topped 1 million tonnes at the weekend, according to Reuters estimates, as two provinces completed their plans and moved men and machines to help others behind schedule. According to local media reports and sources, seven of 13 sugar-producing provinces have produced more than 700,000 tonnes to date, while the six remaining provinces output has topped 300,000 tonnes.
The industry planned to reach the million-tonne benchmark in March, but late start-ups, machine and parts shortages and other problems kept milling at well below 70 percent of capacity to date. These problems have plagued the state-run industry for a number of years. The official trade union newspaper Trabajadores reported on Monday that central Sancti Spiritus and Cienfuegos provinces had completed their plans and the former produced "more than 10,000 tonnes above the plan."
Sancti Spiritus, which produced 75,000 tonnes in 2008, ended milling at 84,000 tonnes, according to local reports. Neighbouring Cienfuegoss plan was announced as 135,000 tonnes when the harvest began. Meanwhile, three other provinces have reported producing more than 100,000 tonnes, with two more nearing the mark. The industry hoped to end the harvest by May before hot and humid weather makes milling more costly and yields drop, but all the remaining provinces have announced mills will remain open after that date.
The Cuban harvest is more than 80 percent mechanised and rains hamper cutting machines and trucks entering plantations. When the harvest began, the Sugar Ministry said output would be similar to 2008, or 1.4 million tonnes. That figure was reached only because the Summer rainy season arrived a month late in 2008.
Cuba harvested 330,000 hectares (815,448 acres) of cane during the 2007-2008 harvest. There are 700,000 hectares (1,729,737 acres) devoted to sugar cane in the country. Cuba consumes a minimum 700,000 tonnes of sugar per year, and 400,000 tonnes are destined for China, in addition to whatever other contracts it signs.