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 was recently 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 are also
very important factors in the economic success of the business.
They are 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.