Decrease in payment queried

CANE growers will be satisfied with a delivery payment of $42 and an increase in the 2021 forecast price to $70 per tonne, says National Farmers Union general secretary Mahendra Chaudhry.

He said an order issued last Thursday by the Sugar Industry Tribunal to retain the 2020 harvesting and cartage rates for the 2021 season, “does not help resolve the current harvest dispute”.

“The farmers want the delivery payment of $32.61 a tonne to be increased to $42 along with a forecast price of $70 per tonne,” the former prime minister said.

“The tribunal is confusing the harvesting and cartage rates with the delivery payment.

“Farmers have made it clear that their claim is for the substantially reduced delivery payment of $32.61 against $38.50 for 2020, to be increased to $42.”

Mr Chaudhry said farmers would incur an average harvesting and delivery cost of $40 a tonne.

“They should not be forced to harvest at a loss with $32.61 as delivery payment.

“The tribunal must explain why it has reduced the delivery pay from $38.50 to $32.61 — what is the rationale if any, behind this decision?

“If the harvesting and cartage rates of 2020 are to be retained for 2021, why then reduce the delivery payment? It does not make sense.”

He said Government and Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) should also pay the farmers $10 per tonne from the $15 they were still owed for the 2020 crop.

FSC chief executive officer Bhan

Pratap Singh has not responded to queries from this newspaper about petitions sent by farmers in relation to the 2021 forecast price and delivery payment issue. Sugar Ministry permanent secretary Yogesh Karan said he would respond to the issue at a later date.

If the harvesting and cartage rates of 2020 are to be retained for 2021, why then reduce the delivery payment? It does not make sense – Mahendra Chaudhry