FSC Venture With Landowners, Aims To Make Use Of Idle Land
The joint venture sugarcane farming programme gives a strong message to landowners to use their idle land in order to undertake sugarcane farming. This was highlighted by the Fiji Sugar Corporation chief operating officer, Navin Chandra, during the team’s visit to Nasarawaqa, Bua, yesterday. “Our aim is to look at these large pieces of land and develop it for sugarcane farming,” he said.
He also said working collaboratively with landowners was essential because it would lead to progressive growth and development.
“This is a very good thing for the country as we are all working together to better utilise our resources,” said Mr Chandra.
“The landowners are coming out now with lots of interests into this joint venture programme.”
FSC, in launching its fiveyear strategic plan in 2017, had committed to developing 12,000 acres of large scale farming. “This will be through increasing land under FSC management as part of FSC’s estate development as well as promoting large scale joint venture farming,” Mr Chandra said.
“A successful joint venture programme exists in Nagigi, Labasa, which currently produces 6000 tonnes of cane. Under the joint venture programme, FSC is involved in readying, plantation and harvesting the cane with 70 per cent of profit being retained by landowners and remainder towards FSC.
Mr Chandra said mechanical planting and harvesting of cane would be undertaken in the Bua area.
He also said looking outside the box was imperative if we were to secure a better Fiji. He said although Bua was 70 kilometres away from the Labasa Mill, distance and transportation of cane should not be a problem.