MINISTER of Agriculture Roger Clarke is expected to face further grilling this afternoon from Opposition MPs on the condition of the sugar industry in the House of Representatives.

While responding to questions from Opposition MP Pearnel Charles last week, the minister promised to paint a “total picture” of the current position of the cash-strapped industry this week.

Clarke told the House that despite US$44 million (J$2.2 billion) from the PetroCaribe Fund, the Sugar Company of Jamaica (SCJ) still needed “substantial sums of money” to retool.

Said Clarke: “That is a major problem that we face at this time, because to get back to production that can help us to earn our way out of this situation calls for capital injection and that is a major challenge that we face,” Clarke said.

Today he is expected to answer questions from Opposition Leader Bruce Golding on a number of sugar issues, including the state of discussions for the divestment of government-run factories; whether there is a contingency plan in case the proposed divestment fails; the current indebtedness of the Sugar Company of Jamaica (SCJ); interest costs and total losses for each of the past five years; and the projected outturn for the current crop.