Barbados’ historic sugar industry confronts mounting uncertainty as the 2026 harvesting season faces significant operational delays. Multiple industry sources confirm that Portvale Factory, the nation’s sole sugar processing facility, remains unprepared to receive sugarcane, casting doubt on previously anticipated February start dates.
Technical assessments reveal substantial maintenance requirements still underway at the manufacturing plant. Dwight Millar, President of the Sugar Industry Staff Association (SISA), indicated that extensive equipment repairs and system upgrades must be completed before operations can commence. “Based on current progress indicators,” Millar stated, “a mid-February initiation appears highly improbable, with more realistic projections pointing toward early March.”
The factory’s operational timeline faces additional complications awaiting critical agricultural data. Industry professionals await the annual brix report, which measures sucrose concentration in standing cane, to determine optimal harvesting conditions. Simultaneously, purchasing numbers for the season require finalization before processing can begin.
Market dynamics further complicate the situation. Significant sugar inventories from the 2025 harvest remain unsold, reportedly due to competition from imported Jamaican sugar within CARICOM markets. This surplus storage issue creates logistical challenges for the upcoming season’s production cycle.
Industry representatives have expressed grave concerns about external market pressures. Mark Sealy, Chairman of Barbados Sugar Industry Limited, highlighted how non-CARICOM brown sugar imports “directly compete with local production, essentially undermining domestic agricultural sustainability.” Producers argue these imports threaten the entire industry’s viability, potentially causing collapse within months without regulatory intervention.
Management transitions have introduced additional complexity. Since January 2024, Co-op Energy has overseen sugar operations through subsidiaries BESCO Ltd (factory management) and Agricultural Business Company Ltd (farmland oversight), following government divestment of the Barbados Agricultural Management Company.
Despite these challenges, private farmers maintain readiness to deliver cane once the factory announces operational dates. However, with general elections approaching next Wednesday and former agriculture minister Indar Weir pledging to address the situation, the industry’s future remains entangled in both operational and political dimensions.