THE future of the sugar industry in the North hangs in the balance as hundreds of sugarcane leases are set to expire within the next few years.
Macuata’s provincial administrator, Reveni Rakasalu says there are deep concerns as the total number of leases expected to expire within the province alone in the next six years is 419, covering 6630.7 hectares.
“The biggest hit will come this year, with 89 leases covering 3798.3 hectares due to lapse,” he said.
Mr Rakasalu said the situation could worsen in the coming years, with 52 leases expected to expire next year alone and another 89 by 2030.
“If these leases are not renewed, the very backbone of the sugar industry in the North will weaken,” he added.
Macuata currently has 3041 active leases — 473 for iTaukei and 2568 non-iTaukei cane farms.
Mr Rakasalu said that over the past two years, the Labasa mill had crushed a total of 1,130,784 tonnes of cane, producing thousands of tonnes of sugar. However, he said the numbers would fall sharply if more land leases were to expire in the coming years.
“In 2023, we crushed 555,716 tonnes of cane, producing 54,887 tonnes of sugar. In 2024, it was 575,068 tonnes crushed and 57,993 tonnes of sugar made. So far this year, only 494,495 tonnes of cane have been crushed, producing 47,692 tonnes of sugar.”
Mr Rakasalu said the FSC planned to boost cane planting to 610,000 tonnes this year and reach 850,000 tonnes by 2030, but the target depended heavily on lease renewals.
“The FSC’s vision can only be achieved if landowners and farmers work together,” he added.
Mr Rakasalu pleaded with the landowners to work with sugarcane farmers and not let the industry that helped prop up the province fail.
