FSC’s decade of debt
‘Give farmers a voice’ Many challenges for sugar industry
THE Fiji Sugar Corporation has reported losses for the past 10 years and their debt situation is very concerning.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Professor Biman Prasad said this at the Sugar Industry Stakeholders Meeting on Wednesday.
And he placed the blame squarely on the FijiFirst government and the way they had managed the industry.
“What happened in the last 16 years is that the FSC became the sugar industry, and that’s not how the sugar industry is going to be rescued,” Prof Prasad said.
“So what I’m saying, the long and short of it is that, unless you sort the organisational structure of the industry, which means to bring all the organisations, whether it’s the fertiliser company, the research institute — which is independent, the Sugar Cane Growers Council or FSC.
“Unless there is a very clear understanding to bring these organisations together to work with the farmers because ultimately, if you don’t produce cane, nothing works in the industry.
“There will be no FSC, there will be no Sugar Cane Growers Council, there will be no fertiliser company, there will be no research institute. So that has to be the focus.
“And one of the things that has been the defining thing in destroying the sugar industry to where it is today, was removing the voice of the sugarcane farmers from the industry.”
SUGAR Minister Charan Jeath Singh says there are various challenges facing the sugar industry.
He was addressing the Sugar Industry Stakeholders Meeting yesterday.
“There are various challenges such as high cost of production, harvesting and transportation issues, grower related issues, milling issues, natural disasters and marketing related issues, lack of value addition, politics, et cetera,” Mr Singh said.
“Despite the challenging situations, I as minister responsible, am adamant in restoring the glorious days of the industry.”
Mr Singh said for the next four years, the industry would work as a team to restore confidence and revitalise the industry.
“Our focus should remain on increasing cane production to 1.8 million tonnes in 2023, 2 million tonnes in 2024 and over 2.2 million tonnes from year
2025 and beyond, invest in refinery and ethanol plants, carry out value addition and diversification as well as restoring the Penang Mill either with a second-hand mill or to build a new mill where we can carry out at least part of the operations such as extracting juice and processing it at either at Rarawai or Lautoka mills.”
He said all this would require thorough surveys and studies.
“We will focus on increasing mechanisation to support cane production including cane planting, fertiliser and weedicide application to harvesting.
“Issues of transportation costs are common and the way forward that will be explored further is the improvement in rail system and encouraging rail transportation mode using rail carts and cage bins for billeted cane.
“There are many more approaches that we will need to discuss concerning the challenges encountered by growers.”
Mr Singh said this vision could not be accomplished by the Ministry of Sugar Industry and sugar institutions alone.
“A holistic approach and contributions from Ministry of Finance and industry stakeholders, as well as businesses, will necessitate this foreseen progress of the industry.
“To the six sugar institutions, board chairmen and heads, let us work together for the purpose and the mandate behind our establishment.
“Let us support each institution, share resources and expertise, eliminate issues that will destabilise the spirit of co-operation amongst us,” he said.