THE constant lack of communication between stakeholders and those at the grassroots level may very well be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for Fiji’s sugar industry, says Ba sugarcane farmer Arvind Singh.
Following a heated exchange with the Sugar Minister Charan Jeath Singh at the recent “Meet the Press” event in Ba, Mr Singh said the onus was on the Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, as chairman of the Sugar Reform Select Committee, to do damage control.
“He should be informed, and reports should go to him about what’s really happening in the sugar industry and what farmers need,” he said.
“I urge the chairman of the Sugar Select Committee to give the directive to the Minister of Sugar to go and have a dialogue with the farmers.”
Mr Singh said the line minister’s laxity in prioritising and addressing the plight of grassroots-level cane farmers was also concerning.
“He’s not taking anything seriously. This is my concern.
“He also promised that we would have a growers council election, but he got his own people. They’re not speaking out in favour of farmers.”
Mr Singh said most farmers were venturing away from cane farming despite recent announcements of the construction of a new Rakiraki Mill and a tentative date being set for the reopening of the Rarawai Mill.
“Nothing is in good favour of the sugar industry. We must take everything very seriously.
“The young generation doesn’t want to come into the sugar industry, and no new farmers have come to the sugar industry to look after the farms.”
