The government owes US$16.2 million to Amerop Sugar Corporation, Commodity Specialist Company and Carnikow Rionda Sugar Trading. The state sold 100,000 tons of crude sugar last year, worth US$44 million, receiving an advance of 75% from the companies. But the State Sugar Council only delivered 42% of what it had committed. The government needs to pay this amount before leasing the sugar mills to private companies. The moneys received were used to pay employees and repair the mills. The CEA sugar mills are falling apart and practically worthless. Estimates are that the CEA will produce less than 55,000 tons of crude this coming harvest, of which it will export 41,550 million of a total 85,795 tons assignment in the preferential US market. Private producers Central Romana and Grupo Vicini will fill in the deficit. The government is in the process of privatizing the CEA, but has met with obstacles such as moneys owed to sugar cane suppliers, laborers and employees, takeover of sugar cane lands by opportunists, as well as the total abandon of the facilities.
