In a clear sign of the ongoing transformation of Jamaica’s once-mighty sugar sector, the Sugar Industry Authority (SIA) is now looking for buyers for specialized equipment from four sugar estates that are no longer operating. This move appears to be part of a broader effort to sell off old assets connected to an industry that was once central to the island’s economy, reported Jamaica Observer.
The equipment in question consists of “core sampler units,” which were used to test the quality of sugarcane delivered to mills by taking and analyzing samples from truckloads before processing. These non-working units are located at former sugar estates in Bernard Lodge (St. Catherine), Golden Grove (St. Thomas), Long Pond (Trelawny), and Appleton Estate (St. Elizabeth).
Interested parties have until June 20 to express their interest via email. Following this, they will be invited to inspect the units on site. The SIA, which operates under the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining and also regulates the sugar industry, has stated that more details and application forms will be provided to those who have viewed the equipment, starting June 30. No minimum bid or asking price has been made public.
The sale of these machines comes as sugar production in Jamaica continues to decline significantly. Only a few private sugar estates remain operational, and the government has largely stepped away from directly producing sugar. Many of the lands that once supported thriving sugar operations have since been redeveloped, often for housing.
The Bernard Lodge estate, in particular, is undergoing a major transformation. In 2022, Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced that land sales in the Greater Bernard Lodge development had already generated nearly $4 billion for the government, highlighting the shift towards more financially rewarding uses for former sugar lands.
