Around $100,000 worth of sugarcane lost in fires this year

Over 8,000 tonnes of sugarcane has been lost in fires this year with damages estimated at around $100,000.

Acting Permanent Secretary for Sugar, Parmesh Chand says bush fires and cane fires would be detrimental to the quality of cane and would significantly impact the quality of sugar produced.

He adds over the years farmers have been affected as burnt cane means less sugar quantity and this reduces their income.

Chand pleads to all Fijians not to start up fires along the sugarcane belt areas as we are currently experiencing the prolonged dry season.

Over 2 million tonnes of sugarcane is expected to be crushed this year producing over 240,000 tonnes of sugar.

Over 1.8 million tonnes of cane was crushed last year producing over 226,000 tonnes of sugar.

Last year over 201,000 tonnes of sugar were exported while there was no importation of the sugar.