Cuba says entire sugar crop effected by hurricanes

HAVANA, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Cuba's entire sugar crop was flattened and flooded by Hurricanes Ike and Gustav this month, according to a preliminary government report on the two storms damage to the country, broadcast by state-run television on Monday.
"There were 156,600 hectares of cane flattened and 518,879 flooded." the report said.
Cuba harvested 330,000 hectares of cane during the 2008 harvest, producing almost 1.5 million tonnes of raw sugar.
There are 700,000 hectares devoted to sugar cane in the country.
The harvest is still three months away and flattened cane often recovers with some loss in yield, while flooded cane needs to be drained within two weeks to avoid significant losses.
The report, read on the evening news, did not indicate how much of the flooded area had been drained.
Hurricane Ike passed over the entire island a week ago, followed by 24 to 48 hours of rain and extensive flooding.
Gustav hit the westernmost part of the country the week before.
The preliminary report on the two storms put damages at around $5 billion and said 200,000 people lost the roofs over their heads.
On the sugar industry the report said a little over 3,000 hectares of newly planted cane was lost and some 40,000 tonnes of stored sugar was soaked and would be refined again.
The Sugar Ministry said at the weekend at least 115 mills and factories were damaged, especially roofs, and 150 railway facilities and 132 warehouses.
The Sugar Ministry also reported at least 430 miles (700 kilometers) of plantation roads were washed out and 14 rail and highway bridges linking plantations to mills.
The ministry in July said the 2009 crop would increase by 25 percent to 30 percent over 2008.
Cuba consumes a minimum 700,000 tonnes of sugar per year, and 400,000 tonnes are destined for China.