“The shift on Sunday night gave a response with the production of some 130 tons of sugar with good quality and over 99 percent of Pol (sucrose content in cane). We see a more stable and organized sugar mill,” says engineer Carlos Górgora Serrano, head of production at the Antonio Guiteras agro-industrial sugar company, with the optimism with which he has faced the challenges of the harvest for more than four decades.

Las Tunas, Cuba.- Górgora Serrano explains that it is the first time that they have achieved this amount in the current campaign. He, engineer Juan Carlos Molina Diéguez, director of the sugar mill, and the labor collective consider it as evidence of the takeoff of the industry, whose production plan is the largest in Cuba.

Since January 24, operations began, marked by technical problems, mainly in the grinding plant; but now it seems that their efforts are crystallizing and will consolidate the productive stability that the national and local economy demands.

Górgora Serrano says that they plan a technical stop for general maintenance and to incorporate the sixth mill into the process "because now we are only working with five, which does not allow us to meet expectations," he says.

He says that having the six mills is a strength to achieve integral efficiency, including energy, because it favors the operation of the boilers and will help them not to depend on the National Electric System in their operations and, even, contribute from the power generated in the production process.

He praises the work carried out, and the spirit of the workers and mechanics, who have always and at any time taken the step forward to find solutions to the problems in the collective effort to overcome the productive commitment.

He acknowledges that during these arduous days, the group has been accompanied by the highest leadership of the Cuban Communist Party, the Government, the Cuban Workers’ Central Union, and specialists from the Uruguay sugar mill (Sancti Spíritus) and their peers from Majibacoa, “Colombia,” and “Amancio.” They were expecting the incorporation of forces from the Cristino Naranjo sugar mill (Holguín).

In this way, they make up for the shortage of qualified technical force in key positions, a consequence of the labor fluctuation towards other sectors, mainly private, with better salaries. Górgora Serrano emphasizes that with this support they have guaranteed that the industry does not stop.

The director explains that to carry out the harvest they have the cane agreed with Agriculture, which must ensure some 9,200 tons each day, for the factory mills at 70 percent of its potential capacity.

Another challenge, he points out, is to improve the quality of the sugar, because around 77 percent of the raw material they receive is leftover and cured sugar cane, with low levels of purity, which requires more efficient work.

In all areas of the mill, the spirit of work and the desire to overcome difficulties to crown the productive commitment and with the required quality are palpable.

“We are not going to give up on the plan,” emphasizes Górgora Serrano. Although there are considerable delays, they are confident that they can overcome the commitment because, traditionally, February, March, and April are good for harvesting in that territory.

The veteran sugar producer remarks: “I am sure that after the maintenance planned for this week, the mill will make a 180-degree change and it will correspond to the effort of the workers.”