Sweet yields for cane growers

IMPROVED weather conditions saw cane growers end the 2013/14 season on a high with a final cane delivery of 20 032 979 tons representing an increase in cane production of nearly 16% over the previous season.

While the final Recoverable Value (RV) price paid to cane growers was R3 116.66 per ton RV, a decrease of 2% over the previous season, overall revenue improved by 16% due to the higher cane crop.

Revenue earned by the cane growing sector of the sugar industry contributed R7 billion to the economy, most of which is dispersed in the rural areas.

David Wayne, Executive Director of CANEGROWERS, reflecting on a season hit by ever-increasing input costs, changing weather patterns and reeling from the negative impact of increased sugar imports said, ‘The last few seasons have been extremely difficult for cane growers who have had a bad time financially with ongoing increases in input costs, but there remains an optimism throughout the cane growing sector.

‘The increase in cane production highlights that cane growers are in recovery mode.

‘Weather conditions permitting, we will be close to a normal overall production of 2.1 million tons cane next season, although certain areas of the KZN North Coast experienced extremely dry conditions in January and February this year, which will impact on the cane crop in that region.’

The 2014/15 cane harvesting season commences in April.