The Ministry of Sugar Industry provides $328,000 annually in government assistance to support cane production, says Sugar Minister Charan Jeath Singh.
Speaking about the initiative, Mr Singh said the funds helped the Sugar Cane Growers Council and the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) by facilitating manual labour and machinery for harvesting.
A key aspect of this support is an agreement with the Fiji Corrections Service, which supplies manual labour during the harvesting period through a memorandum of understanding (MoU).
“The ministry spends an average of $328,000 annually to engage inmates for cane harvesting,” Mr Singh said.
“About 10 gangs, each with 12 to 14 inmates, are assisted annually, and together, they harvest approximately 10,000 tonnes of cane every year.”
The funds cover various costs, including hiring vehicles, paying wages, and supporting drivers and other utilities while farmers manage their harvesting expenses.
“We are grateful to the Fiji Corrections Service and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport for their support in logistics during the cane harvesting season,” Mr Singh said.
On the harvesting process, Mr Singh noted that 40 percent of the cane is now harvested mechanically, utilising about 100 mechanical harvesters. However, the remaining 60 percent is still harvested manually, posing challenges for farmers in securing cane cutters in a timely manner.
“Last year, 5402 cane cutters were engaged for manual harvesting,” he said.
