TWO days after Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston smashed its way through some of the biggest sugarcane producing areas in the Western Division, initial assessments pegged damage to farms and infrastructure at $83million.
Severe TC Winston wreaked havoc in Ba, Tavua and Rakiraki with initial estimates to crop damage placed at about 80 per cent.
Tavua and Rakiraki were emerging out of two consecutive dry weather spells and had just begun to show signs of recovery when the Category 5 storm hit.
Of the 1.84 million tonnes of cane processed in the four mills last season, Ba, Tavua and Rakiraki accounted for about 700,000 tonnes or 38 per cent.
Immediately after Severe TC Winston had passed, quick assessments were made because of the significant contribution of the three canegrowing areas to the industry.
The damage assessment was done by the Fiji Sugar Corporation and Sugar Cane Growers Council.
About $63m was estimated as damage to farms, $10m to FSC infrastructure and $10m to farmers’ homes.
Cane producers associations in the Western Division raised concerns that the $83m assessment was not indicative of the situation on the ground.
More recently, growers have begun expressing disappointment that their concerns and issues were not being addressed with urgency.
Heads of cane producers associations —at the request of members — began calling on Government to provide grants to rehabilitate farms and homes.
As of last Friday, the Sugar Cane Growers Fund set aside $7m for post Severe TC Winston recovery.
Farmers who have produced cane for the past three years are eligible to apply for up to $1000 with the funds being given as an interest-free loan.
Sugar Cane Growers Council CEO Sundresh Chetty said the post recovery fund was not for farm rehabilitation. It was purely for basic necessities in the aftermath of Severe TC Winston.
As of yesterday, more than 500 farmers had applied for loans under the scheme. Such is the gravity of the damage caused by Severe TC Winston.
Cane producers unhappy
And this is why the Lautoka Cane Producers Association head Praveen Singh and Rarawai-Penang Association president Girish Kumar are adamant — any assistance given to farmers should be in the form of a grant.
“Farmers are already in a lot of debt and burdening them with another loan at a time when many have lost their homes, possessions and livelihoods will put growers further into debt,” Mr Kumar said.
In agreeing with his Rarawai-Penang counterpart, Mr Singh added because of the extent of damage to cane and farm houses, it was in the best interest of the industry to forego the 2016 harvest.
“Whatever crop can be salvaged should be used as seed cane,” he said.
“Access to seed cane for farmers in Ba, Tavua and Rakiraki was an issue because of the two consecutive dry weather spells and this was worsened by Severe TC Winston.”
Fiji Sugar Corporation optimistic
FSC executive chairman Abdul Khan disagreed with the cane producers associations take on the utilisation of harvestable cane.
He also said some of the cane damaged by Severe TC Winston had begun to show signs of recovery.
Mr Khan said he was cautiously optimistic that there would be a harvest this year.
“We are conducting a comprehensive assessment of crop and infrastructure damage and it would be prudent to make an informed analysis once this information is at hand in about a week’s time,” he said.
“If the detailed survey reveals we have half a million tonnes or 1.3 million, we can then make a decision on what is the most viable option to take.”
Based on the outcome of detailed assessments, crop damage for Ba, Tavua and Rakiraki could be reduced from 80 per cent to about 60 per cent.
In terms of damage to infrastructure, the FSC head said the initial $10m assessment was most likely to increase.
Mr Khan said damage to the Penang sugar mill, bridge and FSC quarters was quite substantial.
Mill workers concerned
In the meantime, the Fiji Sugar and General Workers Union says any decision to reduce milling hours or the number of mills that would operate this year would affect the livelihoods of 1500 workers.
“It is still early days yet and we have four months to go before the scheduled start of harvest and crush,” said general secretary Felix Anthony.
He said mill workers were already disadvantaged with many working a total of four months in a year.
“If the mill production time is reduced even further due to the effects of Severe TC Winston, it is the responsibility of FSC to assist these workers because ultimately this affects their livelihoods and also the livelihoods of those who depend on them for survival.”
Quo Vadis
The industry and the country wait with baited breath for the outcome of the detailed assessment, which is expected next week.
Apart from the economic impact on foreign exchange earnings and expected sugar revenue, the livelihoods of 13,000 growers, 1500 mill workers and the 200,000 people who depend on the industry hangs in the balance.
