The sugar industry development

The sugar industry has been at the forefront of the national development. The contribution of sugar industry in developing the country should not be forgotten.

It is through this industry that we have been able to move forward. It is due to this industry that other sectors such as tourism and textile have become the economic pillars of the country.

This was stated by the Prime Minister Dr Navin Ramgoolam on Sunday at the traditional ceremony to mark the start of harvest of sugarcane celebrated at Amma Tookay Kovil in Camp Diable in the south.

This ceremony is held every year in June prior to the harvest season at Amma Tookay Kovil for the protection of all those working in the industry and also to ensure a good harvest.

The PM stated that Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam had personally negotiated the sugar protocol after independence which guaranteed Mauritius a quota for the export of sugar at a price determined on the European market, then Common Market.

“At the time of negotiations on the sugar protocol, many people disagreed with him. On the world market the price of sugar had exceeded £ 500 per tonne while SSR accepted £ 260 a tonne,” he added.

The PM shared a conversation that he had with SSR during which the latter made him understand that many people do not know how to make business.

It is in a spirit of business and in the interest of the nation that he negotiated the sugar protocol for the country to have a guarantee of 500,000 tonnes of sugar annually. It was a guarantee to sell sugar in the long term.

Ramgoolam stated development projects can only be undertaken when at the end of each month we are assured of revenue.

He explained that the industry has evolved into a diversified economic sector citing Omnicane which produces ethanol, electricity and other by-products.