Members of the Greenfield Mechanical Harvester Cooperative Ltd in Lomawai, Nadroga, are reaping the rewards of investing in mechanical harvesters.
Cooperative president Vijay Kumar said they harvested about 2000 tonnes of cane during the 2023 crushing season.
Mr Kumar said this year’s achievements were a stark contrast from what they had faced in 2022. He said their challenges were also marred by their dependence on one mechanical harvester hired from Lautoka which affected their production.
“In the Sigatoka area, the machine couldn’t reach Lomawai, leaving farmers in a bind,” said Mr Kumar.
“They had to hire extra labour, costing up to $30 per ton, excluding meals and transportation. When factoring those in, it escalated to as much as $45 per ton.
“Transportation posed another challenge, with hiring trucks skyrocketing to an astounding $65 to $70 per ton.” However, their turn towards a more positive change came in July this year when the cooperative was officially launched.
Mr Kumar said they had successfully harvested approximately 2000 tons of sugarcane, overcoming hurdles caused by unfavourable weather conditions. “Our fundamental goal is to support local farmers, particularly those reliant on sugarcane as their main source of income.
“To achieve this, we aspire to harvest around 8000 tons of cane in our area by the end of the crushing season. “Furthermore, we’ve extended our services beyond our borders, assisting neighbouring farmers when needed.
“The introduction of the mechanical harvester has revolutionised our work.
“Previously, securing manual labourers for cane harvesting posed a significant challenge. However, with the mechanical harvester, the process has become markedly more manageable.
“Many farmers in our area are now inspired to cultivate and plant sugarcane thanks to this accessible technology.”
