The I-Taukei Land Trust Board is continuing to renew agricultural land leases that have expired and they have renewed more than 75% of the leases from 2008.
TLTB General Manager Alipate Qetaki said they have been working with the Committee for Better Utilization of Land to monitor sugarcane farmers and those who are under the agriculture land lease in making sure that agricultural land is utilized for maximum output.
Qetaki stressed that it is not true that leases are not being renewed and said there is a lot of land available for sugar cane farming.
Qetaki said the TLTB has changed the policy prior to 2006 where the leases were not renewed.
Meanwhile, according to Fiji Sugar Corporation Executive Chairman Abdul Khan, the Fiji Sugar Industry continues to bounce back despite going through difficult times.
Khan said especially for the production of sugar, they are crushing less cane but are producing more sugar compared to previous years.
According to Khan this year they have so far crushed 1.45 million tonnes of sugarcane and produced 163,000 tonnes of sugar compared to last year where they crushed a total of 1.56 million tonnes of sugarcane and produced 155,000 tonnes of sugar.
He said even with the recent natural disasters, they have produced more sugar.
Khan has also backed the monthly review released by the Reserve Bank of Fiji stating the sugar industry remains buoyant with the total sugar cane crushed by the end of last month almost 12% higher than the same period last year and as a result of the improved cane supply and milling efficiency, the volume of sugar produced is nearly 17% higher than the same period last year.
Fiji Labour Party Leader Mahendra Chaudhry still says the Sugar Industry is continuing to fall since 2008.
Chaudhry even disputed the Reserve Bank of Fiji statistics.
However Abdul Khan said Chaudhry should get his facts right before releasing statements.
Story by: Rusiate Baleilevuka/ Filipe Naikaso
