We have to double cane production, farmers have to do their part - Seruiratu

“We have to double cane production but the government cannot do that if farmers are not doing their part.”

Minister for Rural and Maritime Development, Inia Seruiratu stressed this during a talanoa session with community members at Wailevutiri in Macuata where he highlighted that Labasa used to produce 1.2 million tonnes of cane but is now hitting about 600,000 tonnes.

He says the government is urging sugarcane farmers to fully utilise their land or diversify to non-sugar crops to ensure the land they have been given are fully utilised.

Seruiratu says government’s focus now through the Committee on the Better Utilisation of Land was the proper utilisation of land.

Seruiratu says if a farmer is given 50 acres of land, hopefully he or she will put the whole 50 acres into production.

Seruiratu says if part of their land is wet and it can’t be used for cane, then it should be used for rice farming or other crops.

He adds that it is not only about the farmer and sugar research has to come in and maybe they have re-look at the quality of land.