The 3rd cane payment of $11 per tonne will be paid to the growers tomorrow.
The Registrar of the Sugar Industry Tribunal, Timothy Brown says this now brings the total amount to $61.53 per tonne of cane of the $85 per tonne for the 2019 cane payment.
Meanwhile, National Federation Party Leader, Professor Biman Prasad says he has spoken to the Permanent Secretary for Sugar, Yogesh Karan on the issue after both he and the NFP Office were inundated with calls from concerned growers following no notification from the Sugar Industry Tribunal or Fiji Sugar Corporation about the amount and time of payment.
Prasad says this is despite the Sugar Master Award clearly stipulating that the 3rd cane payment should be announced and paid to growers before 31st March every year.
Prasad says Karan told him that government was processing the transfer of funds following the parliamentary approval of $50 million for cane payments as part of the supplementary budget.
Prasad says growers are experiencing difficulties due to these uncertain times and are asking government to direct the Fiji Sugar Corporation not to make any deductions from the proceeds of individual growers for any expenses.
The Registrar of the Sugar Industry Tribunal, Timothy Brown says it is clear that the Master Award does not specify a date as to when the 3rd cane payment should be made although it has been a practice in the past where the 3rd cane payment was paid on or before 31st March every year.
