Minister says “Cabinet decision on sugar is policy; operationalising is another matter”

Jose Mai

Minister Mai says that the sugar cane that is being delivered at this time to the millers in the north should have been harvested one or two months ago, so the quality is not optimum.  He says that the milling by Santander has not started just yet and the process is now in discussion by the Sugar Cane Production Committee, because it is this committee that will now determine the quota  the Spanish multinational gets. 

Jose Mai, Minister of Agriculture

“Cabinet decided that Santander can be allowed to purchase leftover cane in the north; which means that cane that will not be able to be milled by ASR can be purchased by Santander. That was Cabinet’s policy decision. Operationalising it is another matter. We are bounded by laws; there is the Sugar Industry Act. So we have been guided by our Attorney General’s Office that certain things can be done in you put certain things in place. That is where we are today.  Looking at the scenario, we have to make decisions and we have to make it quickly.”

Duane Moody

“So the timeline because I know you said the SCPC needs to finalise. So the timeline by when that needs to happen so that Santander can now get the cane?”

Jose Mai

“We will have a meeting to discuss that with the technicians in the Ministry and the sugar board. But we are monitoring the performance of the mill daily. We are monitoring how much cane is out there daily.”