The Government will increase the price paid to manual sugar cane harvesters from $3 to $5 per tonne as an immediate measure to encourage harvesting activity, following discussions by the Special Committee on the Sugar Industry on the current state of the industry.
The Special Committee on the Sugar Industry met on Friday at the Parliament Complex, where members discussed several pertinent issues concerning the current state of the industry, both in the short and long term.
In relation to sugar cane harvesting, National Farmers Union General Secretary Mahendra Chaudhry provided an assurance in a letter to the Prime Minister that "cane farmers are not on strike", adding that this is confirmed by cane crushing currently taking place in the Western and Northern Divisions.
The Committee says they agreed that restoring confidence among farmers remains a priority, and members stressed the importance of clearly communicating to farmers the Government assistance and support already being provided.
They also discussed additional options to increase support for manual harvesters as an immediate measure to encourage harvesting activity.
The Committee says the increase in payment from $3 to $5 per tonne acknowledges the role and contribution of people on the ground whose efforts are not well recognised.
They say that, to address security concerns among cane farmers who wish to harvest sugar cane but fear a backlash, particularly regarding their standing crops, the Committee, in consultation with the Ministry of Policing, will have the Fiji Police conduct frequent patrols in the cane belt to ensure cane farms are protected.
The Committee says they will visit the Western Division on Wednesday, 8th July and Thursday, 9th July to meet farmers, the miller and other stakeholders.
They says the visits will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to raise their concerns and make suggestions on how the sugar industry can be made viable and sustainable in the future.
The Committee says the Government appreciates the contribution and cooperation of all stakeholders in the sugar industry.
They will also hold additional meetings to discuss the future direction of the sugar industry and the diversification process going forward.
