CUBA: Organisational problems and rain jeopardise harvest
Published: 03/11/2010, 8:48:37 AM
Organisational problems and rain could jeopardise Cuba's sugar harvest this year, according to the official daily Granma.
Operational breakdowns of sugar mills and a lack of sugarcane due to the heavy rainfall have become "powerful enemies" of Cuba's sugar harvest, Granma said, citing an article written by agricultural expert Juan Varela.
By the end of February, the sugar mills across Cuba were operating at only 64% of their potential, well below the expectations of 80%, the Ministry of Sugar (MINAZ) said.
It meant a delay of some 147,900 metric tonnes of sugar compared with what had been planned, said the ministry.
The authorities had earlier estimated that Cuba's sugar harvest this year could be "modest," and the country was expected to produce around 1.5 million tonnes of sugar.