NFP Man Benefits From Govt Scheme
ELECTION CANDIDATE PARMOD CHAND GRATEFUL FOR MECHANISATION GRANT
Parmod Chand, a National Federation Party candidate, is a beneficiary of one of the FijiFirst Government’s initiatives, it
has been revealed. It is ironic that this has happened when the NFP has been critical of the initiatives. Mr Chand is one of the many cane farmers who will benefit from the farm mechanisation grant assistance handed out in Labasa on Friday.
Government is paying $90,000 towards a $360,000 harvester. The farmers are paying the balance. Mr Chand was there to receive it in his capacity as president of the Vunimako Cane Farmers’ Cooperative.
Mr Chand, who owns a sugar cane farm in Seaqaqa, said that the grant would help the co-operative do better. He said they were grateful for the grant.
All farmers in the co-operative including Mr Chand will be able to use the mechanical harvesting machine.
Mr Chand is also a recipient of the fertiliser subsidy by the Government.
All sugar cane farmers, including Mr Chand, benefit from the scheme, regardless of their total production.
The director of Sugar Operations - Sanjay Kumar - confirmed that all sugar cane farmers were being assisted by the Government.
For every 50 kg of fertiliser, the Government pays $25.59 from the total cost of $45.59.
Mr Chand has also been a recipient of the weedicide grant receiving a subsidy payment of 55 per cent by the Government on the total weedicide used in the farm. Mr Kumar and Mr Chand also signed an agreement for the Government to give the co-operative $90,000.
In addition, Mr Parmod and the members of the co-operative would also be entitled to dividend payments as soon as the loan repayment on the mechanical harvester finishes.
Mr Kumar confirmed that the dividend would be distributed among members of the co-operative. NFP leader Mr Prasad initially asked the Fiji Sun to send questions via email then he would respond. An email was sent and there were attempts to call him. But his phone was answered by one of the party candidates, Kamal Iyer, who said that the party had never said what it had been accused of. He would not comment further.
“We don’t respond to this garbage,” Mr Iyer said.