Kaieteur News Reports : Azruddin Mohamed, the presidential candidate for We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), has announced that under a WIN-led government, no sugar estates will be closed. Instead, he vows to revitalize and improve the struggling sugar sector, which has faced significant challenges in recent years.
The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has long grappled with underperformance, failing to meet production targets despite receiving billions of dollars in government support. Currently, only three estates—Albion, Blairmont, and Uitvlugt/Leonora—remain operational, while Skeldon, Wales, Enmore, and Rose Hall have been shut down.
WIN’s manifesto emphasizes that sugar has historically been a cornerstone of the Guyanese economy. It acknowledges the industry’s struggles with declining global sugar prices, reduced competitiveness, and rising production costs. In response, the party promises to implement mechanization and diversification strategies to safeguard workers’ livelihoods and reverse the industry’s decline.
Key proposals in WIN’s plan include:
Revising the National Cane Farming Committee Act of 1965.
Increasing wages for sugar workers.
Fully mechanizing the industry and updating outdated machinery in sugar factories.
Establishing a backend refinery for Albion estate and introducing energy-efficient technology.
Reconfiguring Rose Hall as a sugar by-product center and providing land to tillers as a constitutional guarantee.
In a bold initiative, WIN proposes to lease or transfer at least 10% of cane lands to interested farming groups under the oversight of the National Cane Farming Committee (NCFC). The party also plans to conduct feasibility studies to assess land suitability for alternative crops and offer incentives to encourage investment in crop diversification.
In contrast, the two other major parties—the PPP/C and the APNU—are focusing on diversifying GuySuCo beyond sugar production.
APNU’s presidential candidate, Aubrey Norton, has proposed reducing GuySuCo’s reliance on sugar and repurposing its resources for agriculture and housing development. He emphasized that GuySuCo should be restructured to operate independently of subsidies, utilizing its land for various economic activities.
Meanwhile, President Irfaan Ali of the PPP/C has announced plans to diversify GuySuCo’s operations to include crops like rice, corn, and cassava. He envisions GuySuCo as a hub of rural economic development, expanding its mandate beyond sugar to include livestock and agro-processing.
Despite these plans, GuySuCo continues to operate at a loss. The previous APNU+AFC administration closed four major sugar estates due to unsustainable operations, while the PPP/C has injected funds into the sector upon returning to power. However, profitability remains elusive.
In the 2025 national budget, the government allocated $13 billion to GuySuCo, with Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh projecting a 115.4% growth in the sugar sector this year, targeting the production of 101,000 metric tonnes. This optimistic outlook follows another decline in sugar production in 2024, raising questions about the industry’s future viability.
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