14 sugarcane farmers from Fiji will leave for India tomorrow to attend 2-week customised course exclusively for Fijians under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme conducted by the Government of India.
While making the announcement today, Minister for Sugar Industry, Charan Jeath Singh says the program is fully funded by the Indian High Commission in Fiji and the scholarship opportunity will allow farmers to know more about the industry.
Singh says in the last 16 to 20 years, the previous government did not utilise the scholarships provided, and because of that the quota was reduced from 100 to 35 seats per year.
He says Fiji is using 12 tonnes of cane to produce 1 tonne of sugar whereas India uses 8 tonnes of cane to produce 1 tonne of sugar.
He adds the technology and farming practices allow India to take its sugar industry to greater heights and they are expecting the farmers to learn from it.
Indian High Commission in Fiji says the programme will be conducted by National Sugar Institute in Kanpur which is one of the premier institute in this field in India where farmers will have opportunities to visit facilities, farms in and around Kanpur.
They say it will surely be enriching for the Sugar Cane Growers Council of Fiji and farmers that will result better production in Fiji
Four field staff from the Sugarcane Growers Council will also accompany the farmers.
