Around 4500 hectares of sugarcane have been mechanized

The machine-operated harvest system for the sugar industry will be officially launched on Thursday in the fields of Bon Air, Triolet and Point aux Piments under the Field Operation Regrouping and Irrigation Project (FORIP).

This will be done by the minister of Agro-Industry, Satish Faugoo. Around 1,200 hectares of land belonging to 500 planters comes under the FORIP for the year 2011.

Concerning the reform of the sugar sector initiated under the Multi Annual Adaptation Strategy in 2006, it is to be noted that through the FORIP, the government is paying particular attention to small planters.

The main aim of this is to reduce the cost of production by 20 per cent, to increase production by 20 per cent and to ensure durable and reliable cane supply.

However, FORIP is facing a tough time, as the mechanisation will only be partial. The ultimate goal is to achieve 100 per cent mechanisation.

Around 4,500 hectares have been mechanised until now to benefit around 4,000 planters. The first project to be implemented was at Queen Victoria for 49 planters, giving a total of 90 hectares. Production then rose from 80 to 100 tonnes per hectare.

Despite the progress registered, certain problems did crop up, such as the torrential rains of March 2008 or soil erosion and loss of boundaries as a result of stone removal at Martinière.

The advantages of mechanised harvest include the advent of green cane for a sustainable Mauritius.