The experts' report is intended to be a big step forward, for a fair sharing of income from cane production in Guadeloupe. The survival of the entire agricultural sector, locally, depends on it, after two catastrophic sugar campaigns. A revision of the method of calculating saccharine wealth is necessary; this is at the heart of strong tensions, between planters and factories, in particular. It is now a matter of meeting the demands of producers, who demand fair remuneration for their work.
Fairly remunerating all players in the cane industry is first and foremost a matter of calculations. The very complex current formula, used to measure the saccharine richness of production, is considered obsolete. However, this criterion is essential for setting the price of a tonne of cane.
A revision is therefore necessary.
This is how a “Expert group for the revision of the wealth formula“ saccharimetric of sugar cane was mandated by the State, the Region and the Department of Guadeloupe, as well as professionals in the sector. Its mission: to develop a fair method of calculating income from this production.
This group submitted its report a few days ago, after five meetings between June 6 and September 26, 2024. The document is 136 pages long. He looks back at developments in saccharine wealth over the last 60 years.
The conclusion is that we must simplify the formula, make it more transparent, remove unnecessary elements and better adapt the levies to the current large volumes. The eight experts also propose integrating monitoring tools, in real time, to valorize molasses, bagasse and sugar in bulk. Thus, it is a question of ensuring a payment which does not harm producers.
It's indisputable, it speaks, it's mathematics, the numbers are there (…). Today, it is the value of all sugars that must be taken into consideration. That is to say an average of all sugars. We are practically approaching €800/t.
Alex Bandou, secretary general of the Union of Producers of Guadeloupe (UPG)
The report's recommendations aim to facilitate future negotiations in the sector.
This work was carried out ahead of the 2025 sugar campaign, which cannot suffer from the blockages and disruptions of the previous two years.
Remember: a group of planters denounced, through their mobilization in 2023 and 2024, their low income which, according to them, reflects neither their hard work nor the real income from cane.
The entire profession had suffered from the delay in launching the harvest. HAS READ ALSO:
The planters of the Farmers' Kolèktif (KDA), at the origin of the mobilization of 2023 and 22024, are even willing to bring forward the date of the 2025 harvest. The proposal was made to the director of the Gardel du Moule factory.
We even suggested that he start harvesting the canes from January, because the DAAF was able to identify more than 200,000 tonnes of canes that remained uncut.
Wilhem Monrose, sugar cane planter, president of the KDA
With just over two months to go before the start of the next season, no player in the sector wants to repeat this conflict.
REPORTAGE/
Journalist: Rudy Rilcy
Mechanic: Guylhane Raabon
Mixer: Justin Mirval
