All sugar factories across the island are expected to be in full production by the end of January 2008, with the aim of achieving the 2007/08 target of 108,500 tonnes of sugar for the crop, which ends in June 2008.

The Frome Sugar Factory in Westmoreland was the first to begin reaping cane on December 26 for the 2007/08 crop.

According to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Sugar Company of Jamaica, Dr. Richard Harrison, all the other factories should begin production some time in January 2008.

The CEO was speaking at a ceremony to mark the launching of the 2007/08 sugar cane crop, held on the grounds of the Frome Sugar Factory in Westmoreland, recently.

Start-up dates

"In terms of start-up dates for the other estates, we are projecting that the latest start-up date for Monymusk should be January 24, 2008," Dr. Harrison said. "At Bernard Lodge, we still have a major challenge in the factory, but we are projecting that this start-up date should be no later than the last third of January. For St. Thomas, we are projecting a start-up date of January 15, and for Long Pond in Trelawny, a start-up date of January 20, 2008."

Dr. Harrison also pointed out that the Worthy Park and Appleton factories should begin production in early January.

According to the CEO, the sugar production projection for the 2007/08 crop is slightly less than what was produced in the 2006/07 crop, because of the negative effects of Hurricane Dean in August, and the excessive rainfall in October and November.

"Last year, all five divisions in the Sugar Company of Jamaica (SCJ) produced a total of 111,265 tonnes of sugar, and this was produced from 1.4 million tonnes of cane at an average tonnes cane/tonnes sugar ratio of 12.66 tonnes cane to one tonne sugar. Of that figure, Frome's contribution was 53,729 tonnes of sugar, or approximately half of the SCJ's production," Dr. Harrison said.