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AGRICULTURE
Background
Booker Tate was formed in 1988 by a merger of Booker PLC and Tate and Lyle’s sugarcane management and consultancy divisions. Both companies’ expertise in plantation crops was built from over 100 years experience of sugarcane production in the West Indies. During the 1960’s the two divisions very successfully branched out into the development of new plantations and sugar mills for clients (mainly parastatal businesses) in Africa and Asia, together with the provision of management and consultancy services to existing sugar enterprises. Recruitment and training of local staff to enable them to replace expatriates has always been a key part of these operations.
Other crops
In the 1980’s, Booker Tate diversified into other plantation crops including oil palm, tea and coffee as well as beef, poultry and crocodile production. In addition to plantation management, the company has particular expertise in processing operations based on crops produced by small-scale indigenous outgrowers.
Project Development
Since the 1960’s the parent companies and subsequently Booker Tate established “greenfield” sugarcane plantations and outgrower operations, both rain fed and irrigated in Nigeria, Kenya, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Papua New Guinea and Zambia. Most notably the Mumias Sugar Company in Kenya culminated in a 5,000 ha nucleus estate and nearly 40,000 small farmers supplying sugarcane to produce over 220,000 t of sugar per year. Construction of a new sugar mill and a 5,000 ha plantation expansion is currently being carried out at the Skeldon estate in Guyana.
In addition to basic agricultural management the development of a new sugar industry requires extensive research inputs in connection with seed material acquisition, agronomy, pest management, tillage and irrigation systems. Optimisation of the cane harvesting and transport system is particularly important. Machinery purchasing, the setting up of maintenance workshops and staff training is also a very important factor in the economic success of the business which is equally applicable to other plantation crops.
Agricultural rehabilitation
In addition to the establishment of new projects, Booker Tate has extensive experience in the rehabilitation and revitalisation of run-down agriculture-based industries. This task frequently involves re-financing and factory rehabilitation as well as the provision of management inputs, agricultural machinery replacements, the provision of management staff and training for local personnel. Such work has been carried out in Barbados, Congo Brazzaville, Guyana, St Kitts and Uganda on a variety of plantation type crops.
Feasibility studies
Booker Tate has carried out numerous feasibility studies for potential new projects or expansion of existing projects in a variety of countries which have more recently included Australia, Ethiopia, Peru, Mali and Sri Lanka. Possible inputs include soil and topographical surveys as well as design work for irrigation, drainage, erosion control, transport, workshop and domestic infrastructures. Sugarcane is a very important crop both for bio-fuel (ethanol) production and biomass for power generation as part of a sugar milling operation. Studies for alternative fuel crops such as sweet sorghum and jatropha are also in progress.
Technical consultancy
Booker Tate can provide technical advice covering general management, agronomy, pest control, irrigation, drainage, mechanisation and staff training on a variety of crops.