The Sugar Cane Growers Fund received a total of $4.172 million from growers who had outstanding loan repayments.
CEO Raj Sharma said the fund took $1.854m of the proceeds as repayment while $2.318m, which represented 56 per cent of the proceeds, was refunded to their accounts.
The fund noted that a total of 3061 growers made payments and 761 did not have deductions as their annual repayments had been met in past payments and thus had full refunds which amounted to $1.059m.
“So it is quite important that we have adequate and consistent cane production on the farm to service the loans,” Mr Sharma said.
“There are a number of calls and enquiries made by growers whether there will be deductions for loan repayment.
“In this payment, normal deductions will be made. In the last May cane payment, no deductions were made to help them prepare for harvesting so the payments due need to be collected.
“However, if the grower is facing difficulties in meeting personal commitments, they may call in to our district office and, case by case, we would consider.”
Mr Sharma said the fund had been flexible in terms of growers repayments, especially for those who were affected by cyclones and low production.
He said they also supported some growers to plant cane by funding loans at zero per cent interest through Government CDRF (cane development revolving fund) loan package so that they reverted to productive levels.
