WEST END Cane Farmers Association has issued a call to government to immediately make available the $150 million loan promised to cane farmers for the replanting of sugar cane. "We want to remind government of the promise made by Finance & Planning Minister, Dr. Omar Davies at the Annual meeting of the Association on December 19 last year in Kingston," says Association chairman Astil Sangster.
Mr. Sangster noted that the 2001-2002 sugar crop at Frome is now in its eight week and farmers are anxious to begin the cultivation process on time. According to the West End chairman, West End and other association in the region will be making a determined effort to increase production to a more viable level during the upcoming season.
Meanwhile, the Association has embarked on an ambitious programme to supply farmers, who sell cane to the Frome factory, with fertilisers, which is to be paid for through collection arrangements at the end of the crop.
In the interim, arrangements are being worked out for payment to be made to the suppliers of fertiliser by Jamaica Cane Product Sales (JCPS). It is estimated that the farmers will require some 45,000 bags of fertiliser for this year's replanting programme.
