Many children and relatives of sugarcane farmers who were working in hotels and resorts are now totally relying on cane income

The Sugarcane Growers Council says many children and relatives of sugarcane farmers who were working in hotels and resorts are now totally relying on cane income.

Council’s Acting Chief Executive, Sunil Chaudhry says they have written to the Fiji Sugar Corporation requesting them to bring forward the fourth cane payment which is due at the end of May as this may bring some relief for everyone.

The Sugarcane Growers Council Acting Chief Executive, Sunil Chaudhry.

He says they are working closely with growers and are encouraging their children who are out of employment to come back to the farm.

Chaudhry says with the adversity faced in the tourism industry, there is hope that the sugar industry will help those to survive who come from the sugarcane belt areas and those that have lost jobs.

He says this is the opportune time for those that have lost jobs to take advantage of the New Farmers Assistance Scheme which is designed to entice new and young farmers to venture into sugarcane farming.

Under this assistance, Ministry of Sugar Industry meets the cost of lease acquisition (that is the amount stated in the offer letter from TLTB and Ministry of Lands) and also assists in establishing farms by providing free fertilizer and weedicides for a maximum of 5 acres of land in the first year only.

The Ministry also provides a grant for land preparation and planting of sugarcane for a maximum of 5 acres through an ongoing program called Sugarcane Development and Farmers Assistance grant which is commonly known as Cane Planting Grant or CPG.

There are approximately 11,600 active growers that supplied cane to mills in 2019.

1.8 million tonnes of cane was crushed last year and approximately 169,000 tonnes of sugar was produced.