Guyana’s state-owned sugar corporation, GUYSUCO, is operating under severe financial strain with production costs dramatically exceeding market sale prices, according to revelations in the National Assembly. APNU’s agriculture spokesman, Vinceroy Jordan, disclosed that the corporation is producing sugar at an average cost of US$1.31 per pound while selling it for just US$0.17 per pound—representing a staggering 154% cost-to-price disparity. This translates to a loss of US$1.14 on every pound of sugar sold internationally. In local currency terms, the figures are equally alarming: GUYSUCO spends GY$275 to produce one pound of sugar but sells it for only GY$35. The 2026 National Budget indicates sugar prices fell by 17.1% to US$0.37 per kilogram in 2025, with a further 0.5% decline expected this year. Despite these financial challenges, the government plans to inject an additional GY$13.4 billion into the sugar sector following last year’s GY$13.3 billion expenditure on mechanization and operational improvements. Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh reported that sugar production reached 59,600 tonnes in 2025—a 26.5% expansion despite being hampered by heavy rainfall, labor shortages, low employee turnout, and factory machinery issues. The sector is projected to grow by 67.9% in 2026 with a target of 100,041 tonnes. GUYSUCO remains a significant employer with over 8,000 workers.