The National Farmers Union is urging the Fiji Sugar Corporation not to process any deductions pertaining to year 2021 from the final cane payment for the 2020 crop due to be paid this month.
General Secretary, Mahendra Chaudhry says farmers are owed $14.99 per tonne of cane and this money should be paid without any further delay and deductions.
He says with Diwali coming up in less than a fortnight, the payment should be expedited so that farmers could have some cash in hand for the religious festivities.
Chaudhry adds deductions for loan repayments, land rent, fertilizers and other farm inputs accrued for the 2021 season should not be debited against this payment.
The NFU General Secretary further says cane farmers are incurring heavy losses as a result of huge delays in the delivery and processing of cane caused by serious milling problems.
We have contacted the CEO of the Fiji Sugar Corporation, Bhan Pratap Singh for a response. He is yet to respond.
Meanwhile, the Registrar of the Sugar Industry Tribunal, Timothy Brown says they are waiting for the audit certificate before they can make any comment.
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