Rose Hall Sugar Estate facing challenges to keep costs low – Armogan

…requires over 20 tonnes of cane for 1 tonne of sugar

The Rose Hall Sugar Estate in Berbice is struggling to meet the production capabilities of its sister estate at Albion in terms of the amount of cane needed to produce one tonne of sugar.

The estate is using much more cane than Albion to produce each tonne of sugar according to Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) Chairman David Armogan.
Generally, it takes about 7 – 10 tonnes of sugarcane to produce one tonne of sugar.
Both the Rose Hall and Albion Estates have started grinding for the second crop.
At the Albion Estate on the Corentyne it takes about 14 tonnes of sugarcane to produce a tonne of sugar. At the Rose Hall Estate in East Canje, it takes more than 20 tonnes of cane to produce each tonne of sugar.

This was told to the Region Six RDC by Regional Chairman David Armogan who is also the head of the Regional Agriculture Committee.
The TCTS – (tonnes cane per tonne sugar), at the Rose Hall Estate Armogan said is too high.
“So we have to be able to look at Rose Hall to bring down the TCTS because we are using far more cane to make a tonne of sugar,” Armogan told the RDC.
Additionally, there is another challenge affecting both the Albion and Rose Hall Estate. Armogan said the procurement of lumber continues to be a challenge, explaining that the lumber used as firewood is scarce posing additional challenges for sugar production.
“You know when the boilers have to start up, they have to get lumber for the fire because they are not producing enough bagasse so they have to be buying firewood and they are not getting enough firewood to buy so that they can start up the boilers on time.”
Meanwhile, Armogan said both estates are also working hard to ensure that the dam infrastructure is in good condition, which is vital to maintaining the smooth operation of the sugar industry.
As grinding operations continue for the second crop, work is being done on cane for the next crop and fertiliser is currently being applied to 193 hectares while planting is still taking place. (G4)