“If nothing is done by 2009, it will sound the death knell of small planters,” warned the minister of Agro-Industry, Arvin Boolell, at the official launching of the plan to group small planters together. In view of the 36% drop in sugar export prices that will be fully effective in 2009, the government has made it clear that there is no other alternative for small planters. The minister launched the project at the Farmers Service Centre in Goodlands and explained the urgency of the situation as well as the details of its implementation.

Burren Luchmeenarian has started the programme and speaks highly of it. “This is a very favourable project for us,” he said. He explained that he has paid half the usual price for derocking and preparation of his lands in Belle-Vue.

The main objectives of the reform are to reduce operation costs by 20% and improve productivity. In fact, by gathering together operations like derocking, mechanisation, land preparation, irrigation and transport, costs will obviously be reduced. The more so, as these facilities will be subsidised by the European Union (EU) as part of the accompanying measures. Thanks to these cost reductions, small planters should be able to face the losses brought about by the end of the sugar protocol.

<B>Lack of labour </B>

This programme should also help to face a major problem experienced by small planters for some time: the lack of labour. Mechanisation – made possible only through the grouping of small planters – should put an end to this problem.

However there is one condition for this programme to be successful: “All planters concerned must make sure they give due care to their fields,” a planter did not hesitate to point out. This might be the reason why some planters present at the Farmers Service Centre last Wednesday made it clear they would not join the programme. They prefer to remain free to work in their fields as they have always done and grow whatever they like… “My whole family has been involved in these fields. No one will be able to do better work than we do,” stated Jugdut Ramkelawan.