Robert Coker, senior vice president at U.S. Sugar, said last year's hurricanes were tough on the crop, but Wilma was worse.

"Last year we experienced a 30 percent loss of sugar cane," Coker said. " What we lost this year will dwarf that number."

The roof was blown off U.S. Sugar's refinery in Clewiston, but a temporary wood and plastic roof has been installed, Coker said.

"It looks like we will be able to crank up early next week," Coker said. "We are going to kind of limp into it."

U.S. Sugar employees have been trickling back in, he said. Many have been coping with trying to secure basic food, water and housing needs. The company has offered the Federal Emergency Management Agency 120 acres in downtown Clewiston for housing and debris storage.

U.S. Sugar and its subsidiary, orange juice processor Southern Gardens Citrus, employ 2,200 people.

Hurricane Wilma might have beaten down the sugar cane in western Palm Beach and Hendry counties, but the state's three sugar companies say they are getting back to business next week.

"Operations are going to resume, and we are asking all employees to report to work Monday," said Barbara Miedema, spokeswoman for the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida in Belle Glade, where administrative employees have already been at work.

The 54-member cooperative employs 850 people during harvest season and expects to begin harvesting and processing the second week of November, Miedema said.

For now, its facilities are being powered by a generator. Two more generators are on their way from Washington state and should arrive by Monday.

"It will be enough power to run the office, the mill, the shops, the whole nine yards," Miedema said.

On Thursday, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson asserted in a letter to Gov. Jeb Bush that "most of the state's sugar cane is lying in the field with no hope of being harvested." Bronson toured western Palm Beach County by helicopter Tuesday, flying over vegetable and sugar cane fields.

But Friday, officials at the co-op, as well as those at West Palm Beach-based Florida Crystals Corp. and U.S. Sugar Corp. in Clewiston, said they expect to produce some sugar this year.

"You can't eyeball it from the air," Miedema said. "You can't have a good assessment until you get into the fields."

The industry has begun that assessment, sending employees into more than 400,000 acres of cane in the two counties. The survey, which will take about two weeks, includes counting broken stalks.

Robert Coker, senior vice president at U.S. Sugar, said last year's hurricanes were tough on the crop, but Wilma was worse.

"Last year we experienced a 30 percent loss of sugar cane," Coker said. " What we lost this year will dwarf that number."

The roof was blown off U.S. Sugar's refinery in Clewiston, but a temporary wood and plastic roof has been installed, Coker said.

"It looks like we will be able to crank up early next week," Coker said. "We are going to kind of limp into it."

U.S. Sugar employees have been trickling back in, he said. Many have been coping with trying to secure basic food, water and housing needs. The company has offered the Federal Emergency Management Agency 120 acres in downtown Clewiston for housing and debris storage.

U.S. Sugar and its subsidiary, orange juice processor Southern Gardens Citrus, employ 2,200 people.

Gaston Cantens, a spokesman for Florida Crystals, said Friday power was expected to be restored that day to the company's Osceola Mill.

"If we can power up, we will start harvesting right away," Cantens said. "I don't know how much yield we will have. There is obviously a lot of damage to the cane."

Cantens called rumors that workers won't be employed for two weeks to two months "ridiculous." The company employs about 1,800 people.

In addition to battering sugar cane, Wilma destroyed a variety of sugar facilities and equipment at all three firms, including three of the co-op's five sugar warehouses, which held from 80,000 to 120,000 tons of sugar each.

The warehouses, worth a couple of million dollars each, didn't contain sugar when the storm hit, but were storing equipment, Miedema said.

State Agriculture Department spokesman Terry McElroy said a meeting of representatives from agricultural sectors affected by Wilma — including citrus, nurseries, sugar cane and vegetables — is being organized for some time next week.

The working group will attempt to come up with accurate and reliable damage numbers and explore possible solutions, such as tax breaks, he said.