More than three hundred cane growers over the age of 70 years who have no other form of pension will now be receiving $100 monthly through the Rarawai Penang Cane Producers Association.
Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama was in Ba today where he honored some of the veteran cane growers with pension cheques for their lifetime service to the sugar industry.
According to Commodore Bainimarama the money comes from a fund set up under the Fair trade initiative which was allowed by the government and in conjunction with Fiji Sugar Corporation and Tate and Lyle.
Bainimarama said the Government and Fiji Sugar Corporation have agreed to sell 60,000 tonnes of fair trade sugar to Tate and Lyle to ensure that the farmers still receive fair trade premium price of $110 a tonne.
Meanwhile, 71 year old farmer of Balevuto Ba, Parbhu Dayal who has been in the industry since 1963 said this will surely assist them as they have never received any other form of assistance.
He said farmers are happy.
Story by: Praneeta Prakash
