Agriculture
According to the latest estimates, there has been a decrease of 4.6 percent for the value added at current prices of the agricultural sector, including sugar milling, from Rs 10.8 billion to Rs 10.3 billion in 2010, although the sugar industry had switched completely to the production of high-value added refined sugar. In addition, the ratio of the agricultural sector to GDP has decreased from 4.3 percent in 2009 to 3.8 percent in 2010.
The anticipated decrease in the production level of sugar, due to bad weather conditions, and the average weakening of the value of euro are the main reasons limiting the performance of this industry.
AGRICULTURE |
|
|
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
Sugarcane value added |
Rs Bn |
4.8 |
4.3 |
4.2 |
3.5 |
2.9 |
Sugar Milling value added |
Rs Bn |
1.3 |
1.2 |
1.1 |
1 |
0.8 |
Non-Sugar value added |
Rs Bn |
5 |
5.3 |
5.8 |
6.3 |
6.6 |
Total Agriculture value added (including Sugar Milling) |
Rs Bn |
11.1 |
10.8 |
11.1 |
10.8 |
10.3 |
Sugar/GDP |
% |
3.2 |
2.5 |
2.2 |
1.8 |
1.4 |
Non-Sugar /GDP |
% |
2.6 |
2.5 |
2.4 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
Total Agriculture / GDP |
% |
5.8 |
5 |
4.6 |
4.3 |
3.8 |
Growth rates |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sugar |
% |
-2.6 |
-13.6 |
4.8 |
12.5 |
-6.4 |
Non-sugar |
% |
6.6 |
3.4 |
1.5 |
6.2 |
1.2 |
Agriculture |
% |
0.9 |
-5.4 |
3 |
8.8 |
-1.5 |
Employment |
No. |
47,900 |
47,200 |
46,200 |
46,200 |
|
Sugar/Total employment |
% |
3.5 |
3.4 |
2.9 |
2.8 |
|
Non-Sugar/Total employment |
% |
5.8 |
5.6 |
5.6 |
5.6 |
|
Agriculture/Total employment |
% |
9.3 |
9 |
8.5 |
8.5 |
|
Sugar
For the crop year of 2010, production of sugar is estimated at 450,000 tons against more than 467,000 tons in 2009, well below the long term target of 500,000 to 550,000 tonnes. This element mixed with the unfavourable exchange rate dynamics of our currency has limited the performance of this industry.
There has been a decrease of 17.8 percent in value added at current prices of sugar cane and sugar from Rs 4.5 billion in 2009 to R 3.7 billion in 2010.
Employment in large establishment declined from 11,019 in March 2009 to 10,517 in March 2010. The tonnage of sugar exported as at September 2010 rose by 11.5 percent compared to the same period in 2009. |
