The Government is working to minimise the impact of the ongoing fuel crisis on harvesting, transportation and mill operations as preparations continue for the upcoming sugarcane crushing season.
Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry, Tomasi Tunabuna highlighted this during a stakeholder consultation at the FSC Club in Labasa attended by sugar industry institution leaders, growers, industry partners and stakeholders.
Tunabuna reassured growers that Fiji's sugar mills are prepared for the upcoming crushing season following extensive maintenance and improvement works.
He says while the mills are more than a century old and some operational challenges are unavoidable, Fiji Sugar Corporation management has assured Government that significant maintenance has been undertaken to minimise downtime and improve performance this season.
The Minister says the consultation provided an important platform for open dialogue and reaffirmed Government's commitment to ensuring cane farmers receive fair returns for their hard work.
He also urged growers not to be distracted by misinformation and unnecessary fear being spread about the future of the industry.
Tunabuna says the Ministry is working with the European Union on a major feasibility study to explore opportunities for diversifying sugarcane farming into alternative high-value crops and livestock systems.
He says the objective is not to replace sugarcane but to create additional income opportunities for farming communities and improve resilience.
He also highlighted Government assistance programmes available to support the industry, including fertiliser subsidies, weedicide subsidies, sugarcane development grants, lease premium assistance, farm mechanisation support, cane cartage assistance, cane access road upgrades, manual harvesting subsidies and farm production incentives.
He says these programmes are designed to improve productivity, reduce costs, address labour shortages and ensure the long-term sustainability of the sugar industry.
The Minister says despite existing challenges, the sugar industry remains a vital contributor to Fiji's economy and the livelihoods of thousands of families throughout the Western and Northern Divisions.
