Jamaica Government prioritising sugar industry growth for 2025, says Green
Jamaica’s Agriculture Minister Floyd Green expressed optimism about the sugar sector’s growth, making it a priority for 2025. During a tour of Pan Caribbean Sugar Company, he noted that collaboration with private partners aims to boost production despite expected lower yields from Hurricane Beryl’s impact. CEO Zudui Zhang highlighted a US$1 million investment in harvesting equipment to improve efficiency.
Agriculture Minister Floyd Green has revealed that the country’s sugar sector is experiencing encouraging growth, prompting the government to prioritise it in 2025.
Speaking during a tour of the Pan Caribbean Sugar Company Factory in Frome, Westmoreland, on Wednesday, Green expressed confidence in the sector’s potential, noting that the government is collaborating with private sector partners to drive growth.
“I believe our sugar sector is on the cusp of significant growth, and this will be our focus for 2025,” Green told reporters.
“We are working with our private sector partners who operate our sugar factories to see how we can help drive that growth,” he added.
The agriculture minister explained that this year’s sugarcane crop would still be affected by the impact of Hurricane Beryl and persistent rainfall last year, resulting in a slight decline in the yields to be harvested.
“These canes would have been planted last year, and they would have endured not only the winds from Hurricane Beryl but also the rains associated with Tropical Storm Rafael. So, there will definitely be a downturn in overall production,” said Green.
Meanwhile, Zudui Zhang, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Pan Caribbean, said his company is expecting a good crop this year. He revealed that it has invested more than US$1 million in acquiring new harvesting equipment.
“With this equipment, we are aiming for a better production ratio than before,” Zhang said, adding that if the company’s projections from its more than 2,500 hectares of sugar cane are realised, further investment will be made in the sector.
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Source : The Gleaner
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