Final payment of $14.05 per tonne to be in by Monday

Great news for sugarcane farmers as they will receive the payments for their sugarcane harvest for this season by Monday.

The Sugarcane Growers Funds says they welcome the payment of 20 percent of the forecast price for the season, which is $14.05 per tonne of cane by the Fiji Sugar Corporation.

The Growers Funds has received $3.458 million, of which $1.899 million or 55 percent has been refunded to the growers after the normal repayment.

CEO Raj Sharma says the payment was processed and paid to the respective bank accounts of the growers and is expected to be in the account by Monday.

He also advised that in the last payment, loan repayments were waived after consulting the Ministry of Multi-Ethnic Affairs and Sugar Industry and in this payment, normal deductions have been applied.

Sharma advised that should the growers have difficulties in meeting the commitment after the deduction they are welcome to visit the SCGF Office for assistance.

He also says that some of the growers face the challenge of closed or dormant accounts in the bank, and in such cases, the funds are returned to them.

Sharma says it takes time for the Sugarcane Growers Funds to reprocess the payment, and he has requested the growers to ensure that the accounts in the bank remain active.

Sharma says their offices will remain open during the festive season except at the weekends and public holidays.