The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is projecting the production of 100,000 tonnes of sugar in 2026, as part of its strategic five-year plan aimed at returning the industry to profitability.
The target was revealed on Tuesday while discussing the 2026 Budget in the Committee of Supply. Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha supported the projection amid probing questions from the Opposition.
Minister Mustapha said the corporation is now better positioned to meet the target due to increased mechanisation and ongoing recapitalisation of factories.
“Over 41 per cent of GuySuCo’s cultivation has already been mechanised, and we are moving to between 50 and 60 per cent,” the minister said, adding that “investments are being made in new machinery, including billet cutters and planters.”
He also indicated that significant factory upgrades are underway, including the replacement of rollers, turbines and conveyor systems to improve juice extraction rates and overall efficiency.
According to the minister, GuySuCo currently has approximately 1.2 million tonnes of cane in the fields, which he said supports the corporation’s production projections.
He expressed optimism that, following the current maintenance period, factories will operate at improved levels when grinding resumes.
The minister maintained that the five-year strategic plan is focused on modernising operations, increasing mechanisation, and improving management accountability to reduce production costs and return the corporation to financial sustainability.
GuySuCo remains one of the country’s largest agricultural employers, supporting thousands of workers and families across several rural communities.