HAVANA - Cuba's entire sugar crop was flattened and flooded by Hurricanes Ike and Gustav this month, according to a preliminary government report on the two storms damage to the country, broadcast by state-run television on Monday.
"There were 156,600 hectares of cane flattened and 518,879 flooded." the report said.
Cuba harvested 330,000 hectares of cane during the 2008 harvest, producing almost 1.5 million tonnes of raw sugar. There are 700,000 hectares devoted to sugar cane in the country.
The harvest is still three months away and flattened cane often recovers with some loss in yield, while flooded cane needs to be drained within two weeks to avoid significant losses. The report, read on the evening news, did not indicate how much of the flooded area had been drained.
Hurricane Ike passed over the entire island a week ago, followed by 24 to 48 hours of rain and extensive flooding. Gustav hit the westernmost part of the country the week before.
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http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/50259/story.htm
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