Fourth cane payment tomorrow

Sugar Industry Tribunal Devanesh Sharma yesterday confirmed sugar cane farmers around the country will receive their fourth cane payment for the season tomorrow.

The farmers will receive a payment of $13.73 per tonne of cane which will bring the total cane payment for the season to $75.26 per tonne.

This will leave a final cane payment of $9.74 per tonne to be paid out at a later date and which will then bring the total cane payment to $85 per tonne for the season. Government had guaranteed the price of $85 per tonne payable to farmers for the 2019 cane crop. Prior to this payment, the net share of the sugar cane growers’ proceeds that had already been paid out to farmers as at April 30 was $95, 605,069which was equivalent to $52.92 per tonne.

The Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) has already paid out to farmers a total of $61.53 per tonne of cane, which was made up of $37.90 per tonne as delivery payment and $12.63 and $11 for the second and third cane payments respectively.

Sugar Cane Growers Council chief executive officer (CEO) Sunil Chaudhary while welcoming the payment thanked FSC for bringing this payment forward. “This cane payment as due to be paid out at the end of the month but upon a request from the Sugar Cane Growers Council, this was now being paid out two weeks ahead.

“The reason for the payment being brought in early was to assist the cane farmers prepare for the ready for the harvesting and supply of cane to the mills.”

“The farmers were in desperate need for the money and we thank FSC for assisting.”

Mr Chaudhary has appealed to the cane growers around the country to have everything prepared and ready for the first day of harvest.

“We want the cane to be harvested and ready to be delivered to the mills when they open.

“We want a consistent supply of cane coming to all the mills from the first day of crushing.” Meanwhile, FSC chief executive officer Graham Clark has also appealed to farmers to clean their sugar cane fields and deliver fresh green cane to the mills.

“We do not want burnt cane and all the rubbish coming to the mills as this will hinder the production of sugar,” Mr Clark said.