Progressive Sugar Cane Producers Association Unveils Solar powered Irrigation System

Yesterday, the Progressive Sugar Cane Producers Association unveiled a solar-powered irrigation system, a first-of-its-kind in the sugar cane industry, along with breaking ground for a biofactory. Love News’ Rafael Roberts travelled to San Luis and filed the following story. 

Raphael Roberts, Love News: Yesterday, members of the Progressive Sugarcane Producers Association gathered in the San Luis area of the Orange Walk District for the inauguration of a small solar-powered irrigation system and the groundbreaking for a biofactory. The solar plant was strategically built to supply electricity for a new irrigation system on a five-acre plot of lawn benefiting 810 farmers. General Manager Cosme Hernandez of the Progressive Sugarcane Producers Association spoke to us regarding the need for a solar-powered irrigation system. 

Cosme Hernandez, Sugar Cane Producers Association: “Okay, if we can recover it in 2019 we had severe drought. We had severe drought, production went down and since then our association has been finding ways on how best we can assist farmers and one key problem is water. With this system, we can actually monitor and we can exactly how much gallons per minute the cane needs and we can apply that. Yes, control. We can control the system.”

Raphael Roberts, Love News: Hernandez says there’s a dire need for a biofactory that will provide a more tailored scientific response for farmers across the board. 

Cosme Hernandez, Sugar Cane Producers Association: “The bio factory which means we will start to use cleaner products, we will assist farmers with fertilizations and we will reduce the use of chemical conventional fertilizers. What does that mean ? The we reduce the cost of investment just for maintenance of each and every acre.”

Raphael Roberts, Love News: Farmers from the Progressive Sugarcane Producers Association are going to be able to access the products of the biofactory at a cheaper rate than farmers who are not a part of the association. The biofactory is expected to be completed and in use within the next 12 months and will be able to provide intervention for soil health and fertility. Keiron Xiu, agronomist at the Progressive Sugarcane Producers Association, spoke of products to come from the biofactory and its impact on the sugar cane industry. 

Keiron Xiu,  Agronomist: “We are promoting a lot of bio agents. At this moment we are going to construct what is a bio catchery.  So these type of inputs will assist a lot in regards to reducing not only fusarium but many other pests and diseases that we have here in the sugar industry.”

Raphael Roberts, Love News: As the cane farmers continue to battle the fusarium fungi many have lost crops in the past and were left to wither at the mercy of the disease. Xiu gave a recap of the disease’s early indication on the plant.

Keiron Xiu,  Agronomist: “If you notice here we have symptoms of fusarium already. But this is because you know traffic has been coming through this area and that is one of the forms of how this fungus transmits, you know, vehicular movement, tractor movement you know these things basically take the fungus through the wheels and spread it in the areas.” 

Raphael Roberts, Love News: In its infancy, with hopes for expansion, the newly built solar power irrigation system is enabling cane farmers to move towards a more strategic approach in combating climate change. The biofactory is also a key component of soil rejuvenation and protection against disease. Raphael Roberts, for Love News.