Sugar industry interests Colombian ambassador

COLOMBIA'S new Ambassador to Australia was in Mackay at the weekend to learn more about the region's sugar industry.

Diego Betancur was joined by Colombian-born Patricia Duque, who has lived in Australia for nine years and is a consultant for Pricewaterhouse Coopers in Brisbane.

Mr Betancur has been Colombia's ambassador to Australia for the past five months.

The brief visit included a tour of Mackay Canegrowers chairman Paul Schembri's Farleigh farm.

"It was very interesting to see the planting and harvesting done by machine," Mr Betancur said.

"In Colombia planting and harvesting is all done by hand.

"We are moving slowly towards mechanisation, but there are some 15,000 people employed as labourers in the industry with perhaps another 45,000 people dependent on their wages, and we would struggle to find work for them if we moved too quickly to mechanical harvesting and planting."

Senor Betancur said Colombia was a country of 45 million people which produced 2.5 million tonnes of white sugar each year.

"Our mills process the white sugar, and about 1.5 million tonnes is for domestic use," he said.

"The other one million tonnes is mainly sold to the United States of America."

The visitors also toured Farleigh mill and were joined for lunch by Mackay Canegrowers Limited chief executive officer Kerry Latter before touring the Mackay Bulk Sugar Terminal.

Terminal Manager Steve Andersen explained the workings of the facility to the visitors.

"Of course, our sugar is loaded in 25kg bags, not in bulk like this," Senor Betancur said.

"It is very impressive to see the whole process and there is a lot Colombia can learn about the whole loading process from this facility."

Mr Schembri said he was pleased to welcome the visitors.

"Obviously, Colombia is not a competitor with our industry, and there are aspects of their industry from which we could learn," he said.
source:dailymercury