Farmer: Crush delay to affect cane quality

PROMINENT Ba cane grower Arun Sharma says delays to the start of crush at sugar mills will affect cane quality.

“If we start the season early, a lot of green cane will be harvested, meaning the sugar content will be good too,” he said.

“If we continue to drag the opening of season, a lot of the farmers will turn to burning cane which is not good and we all know this affects the quality of the sugar being produced and how much we will earn.”

On May 4 this year, the Sugar Industry Tribunal announced crushing at Rarawai mill, Ba, would begin on June 23.

This was changed in a press statement issued on June 16 where the tribunal said it would start on July 7.

He said he hoped there would be no further changes.

“July 7 for most farmers is already very late. “We are dealing with a lot of issues that could affect our production for this season so we don’t need any more delays.”

Mr Sharma said large farmers would barely meet costs this season and smaller growers would not be able to shoulder harvest and cartage fees.

“Most of the smaller farmers who produce about 100 tonnes or less are hesitant to harvest their cane this year.

“They can’t bear the cost of harvesting especially when they know they will be making a loss.”

Mr Sharma said under the $54.36 per tonne forecast price for the 2021 season, farmers would receive a delivery payment of $32.61 (60 per cent of the forecast price).

He said this was less than the $40 to $60 per tonne cost to the grower to harvest and cart their cane to the mill.