The Joint Cane and Sugar Committee, the interprofessional organization of the sector, adopted a tonnage recovery plan on October 5.
Sugar cane production has indeed fallen to its lowest level (1,3 million tonnes) for several decades, casting doubt on the sustainability of a centuries-old sector dependent on national and European aid. The plan is broken down into three main measures : assistance with the purchase of fertilizers and herbicide products, a cash line to finance these purchases and an incentive for replanting, yield increase factor. Interprofessional assistance with inputs, non refundable, amounts to 190 euros per hectare for the first ten hectares and 100 euros per hectare beyond. Planters who wish to do so will also be able to borrow up to 1,000 euros per hectare to purchase fertilizers and herbicides.. To finance this plan, 9,2 million euros are mobilized : 6 million by industrialists and 3,2 million from inter-professional funds. 4 million euros are entrusted to the banks (Bred and Savings Bank) in return for the establishment of a cash line which will gradually increase from 16 to 23 million euros. Beyond these first measures, the inter-professional organization will continue its work to activate other growth levers (land improvement, irrigation, etc.) while calling on “all institutional stakeholders to support and amplify the recovery”.
