THE Fiji Sugar Corporation maintains it is not in breach of any its agreement with sugar cane growers who have yet to be paid the third instalment of their 2025 harvest.
In a statement to this newspaper, FSC board chairperson Nitya Reddy said the company empathised with growers regarding the delay of the third cane payment.
He pointed to the Government’s efforts to secure funds for the cane payment.
“The intention is to ensure that the quantum of the payment not only reasonably meets farmers expectations but is also meaningful.
“While FSC is not in breach of any of its obligations under the Master Award, the Corporation takes no comfort from this position. The matter of securing additional financial assistance falls outside of FSC’s control.”
He said the reasons for the “apparent delay” was widely known among those connected to the industry and were directly linked to the current trajectory of severe decline in world market prices.
“All industry stakeholders have been kept informed of this imminent possibility since it started.
“FSC wishes to assure farmers and all other stakeholders that it stands ready to process the payments with no more than two days of the Government releasing the required funds.
“We will stand by that commitment.”
Meanwhile, former FSC board member Arvind Singh has criticised the Sugar Cane Growers Council for failing to inform farmers about a delayed third cane payment.
“Government has reached out to me, and they have been the ones informing the growers, but where is the Council and FSC in this?” Mr Singh asked, noting that thousands of growers rely on the council for timely updates.
He said many farmers have visited Council offices repeatedly with no answers.
