Sugar Cane Growers Council seeks higher budget and additional subsidies

The Sugar Cane Growers Council is calling for a higher operational budget and additional subsidies in the upcoming 2025–2026 National Budget, saying the current allocation is not enough to meet growing demands.

The Council’s CEO, Vimal Dutt says that while they received $800,000 for their operational costs and $200,000 earmarked specifically for the Sugar Cane Growers Council elections, this amount is insufficient to keep up with rising operational costs.

He says this is largely due to expanded responsibilities and the need for councillors in each sector, which will significantly increase administrative and logistical expenses.

Dutt says the government offers assistance in the form of farm input support — including fertilisers, weedicides, and harvesting operations — particularly for manual harvesting.

He adds that farmers benefit from subsidies such as the cane cartage subsidy from Penang to Rarawai Mill, and that in the upcoming budget, they are also hoping for subsidies to support cane health and cane lorry operators in remote areas.

The CEO says the sugarcane industry itself continues to face major challenges, explaining that sugar prices are influenced by global markets.

He notes that this year, sugar prices are slightly lower compared to last year, but there remains optimism in the sector — largely due to the government’s continued support and financial guarantees.

this year.

The CEO says that fewer farmers are growing sugarcane, as some are switching to other crops, however, fully replacing sugarcane is still difficult, and costs are going up because of less labour, high transport costs, and climate problems.

Dutt also mentions that the Council has an interest in crop insurance and is currently in its fourth year of piloting parametric insurance with support from the UNDP.

He says this scheme covers around 10,000 registered farmers, offering compensation in the event of natural disasters, and is a key area for future development.

Dutt adds that, with the harvesting season beginning this month, their teams are already on the ground forming harvesting groups with the Fiji Sugar Corporation.

He says the Council remains hopeful for a productive season and is urging farmers to continue with new planting.