TONNES OF CANE WASTED
published: Thursday | January 27, 2005

Osbourne Scott, financial controller at the Frome Sugar Factory, declined to offer a comment on the matter. - Claudine Housen Photo

Reaped sugar cane is being hoisted into a waiting truck in Mayesmoore, Westmoreland, on Monday. Leading Westmoreland farmers and contractors were on Monday threatening industrial action, following the Frome Sugar Factory's refusal of some 450 tonnes of cane, which was burnt during illicit fires over the weekend. The farmers were also upset that the promised repairs to one of the factory's tandems (machine used to grind sugar cane), are yet to be made, and that they are left to suffer as a result.

"They are at the end of their tether because the promised repairs have not taken place in a timely manner," said Allan Rickards, chairman of the All Island Cane Farmers Association (AICFA), on Monday. "The factory is barely limping along. It is producing less than 3,000 tonnes a day when in fact they need to grind 6,000 tonnes."