Ingenio La Corona halts sugar production after gas cut

The sugar production at Ingenio La Corona in Concepción was halted this past Saturday after the distributor Naturgy cut the natural gas supply. The interruption occurred during the peak of the harvest season (zafra), forcing a complete stop to the sugarcane milling process.

The service cut was reportedly motivated by an unpaid debt. However, a representative from the Federation of Industrial Sugar Employees (FEIA) stated that the measure was premature, noting that the deadline to regularize the payment was not due until the following Tuesday.

The incident led to high tension at the plant on Nasif Estéfano Avenue, where workers blocked a Naturgy vehicle from leaving the premises using wooden pallets, claiming the manner in which the cut was executed could have been dangerous. Local police from the Unidad Regional Sur intervened to mediate the conflict. Neither Naturgy nor the management of Ingenio La Corona have issued official statements regarding the situation.