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The Barbados Sugar Industry Ltd., comprising farmers responsible for delivering 65% of sugar cane yearly to the Portvale factory, has issued a statement addressing the ongoing dispute between the factory and the Unity Workers Union.
BSIL says it has always been the premise at negotiations with the Barbados Workers Union, and other stakeholders, that the Portvale factory falls under the Safety and Health at Work Act (SHAW), proclaimed in 2013.
The farmers are also contending that the best time to start the crop is February 15th, and the delay to the sugar harvest has led to inferior quality cane, with consequent reductions in both sugar quality and tonnage.
They add that any further delay will negatively impact the benefits derived from the sugar industry and may contribute to its collapse.
The farmers are urging all parties to swiftly move ahead so that the 2026 crop can be harvested to the benefit of all workers, the public, and the Barbados economy.
