Cane farmers don't have money to prepare for start of the season - Prasad

National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad says his office has been called by more than 100 cane farmers this week who say they don’t have the money to prepare for the start of the 2019 season.

Prasad says this means that unless growers receive a minimum of $15 to $18 per tonne in the 4th payment, it will be difficult for them to prepare for harvesting.

He says growers have to meet many expenses including hiring of cane cutters or where mechanical harvesters are needed – with the growers footing its operational bill and paying for the operator.

The NFP leader says that the forecast price of $53.69 per tonne of cane for this season has further dampened the morale of cane growers, especially at a time when they are supposed to be busily preparing for the start of the season.

Prasad says so far for the 2018 season, growers have been paid a little over $61 per tonne with over $23 outstanding based on government’s announcement last year of a minimum price of $85 per tonne of cane for three years.

When contacted this afternoon, the Fiji Sugar Corporation said that they do not respond to third party comments.

However, according to the FSC, the 4th Cane Payment is being processed, with details to be communicated once formalities are concluded.

The FSC had also assured the growers earlier this week that notwithstanding the current forecast cane price, set in terms of the Master Award, cane farmers can look forward to the certainty of a guaranteed cane price of $85 per tonne for this year.

While delivering the 2018/2019 National Budget, Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum had stated that they will be setting up a stabilisation price – funded in partnership with the FSC of $85 a tonne for all cane payments for the next three years.

He had said that this has allowed the FSC to sell off underutilised assets, and this stabilised price will be funded from the Sugar Stabilisation Fund within the FSC, bringing cane farmers a level of security, certainty and mconfidence in the sugar industry over the long‑term.

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