Cane farmers can claim penalty of $5/ton of affected cane in an event of mill breakdown - Clark

Cane farmers can now claim a penalty of $5 per ton of affected cane in an event of mill breakdown.

Fiji Sugar Corporation Chief Executive Officer, Graham Clark while announcing this new penalty to aid affected farmers says the amount will be determined and paid after a thorough assessment of the breakdown.

He says in respect of any notification of an unplanned mill breakdown, expected to be longer than 6 hours, an immediate formal assessment will be carried out jointly by FSC Staff and affected can growers, to determine the volume of affected cane, the impact in each sector, the cane yard of the mill concerned and loaded can lorries.

Clark says this penalty will exclude and will not apply to mill stoppages caused by lack of cane supply or scheduled factory maintenance.

He adds that based on the assessment which will be fully documented and agreed by all parties, a mill breakdown penalty will be paid by the Fiji Sugar Corporation through the cane payment system.

Clark says on review they believe that this will provide some relief for additional costs incurred by growers and lorry operators during their waiting time.