Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha disclosed today that the Rose Hall estate that was closed by the previous regime, is now set to grind 2500 hectares of cane this month. The official made this revelation during the consideration of budget estimates for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) in the Committee of Supply.
Notably, GuySuCo has been allocated a significant capital programme worth $2 billion for the fiscal year of 2024.
Vinceroy Jordan, a member of the opposition, had questioned the minister on the total expenditure and sugar production at Rose Hall Estate from 2023. Minister Mustapha responded swiftly, attributing the $9 billion spent on rehabilitation to the opposition’s actions, accusing them of causing the estate’s decline.
“Let me tell you something if I was in the opposition, that opposition member, I wouldn’t ask this question [to] embarrass myself,” Mustapha asserted. “They cause it. They close the estate. They cause it to rot.”
Despite these challenges, Mustapha expressed optimism about Rose Hall’s future under the current government. “We produced 1,031 tonnes of sugar last year… and I am very optimistic this year that Rose Hall will produce the target that we set under this PPP Civic government.”
He also announced the grinding period is set to commence at the end of February, extending until the middle to end of May. He also emphasized ongoing efforts to revise production targets for sugar factories and revealed plans to mechanize the process.
He also highlighted ongoing efforts to clear forested areas, mechanize operations, and expand cultivation, aiming to increase the hectares in the coming months.
The $2 billion allocation for GuySuCo was subsequently approved. Notably, it reflects a decrease from the previous year’s $3.5 billion and 2022’s $5.4 billion.
