THERE will be no compensation offered to farmers for the 35 per cent sugarcane loss during transfer of harvested crop from Penang mill in Rakiraki to Rarawai mill in Ba.

These were the words of Fiji Sugar Corporation chief executive officer Graham Clark.

Mr Clark was responding to calls made by farmers and organisations representing growers for compensation for the loss.

“We’ve incurred a significant cost in moving the cane from Penang mill to Rarawai anyway, and we are not in a position to compensate anyone,” he said.

Former FSC CEO Abdul Khan had closed the Penang mill in February last year after it sustained damage during Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston.

He had promised farmers that there would be no cane loss during the transfer of cane from Penang to Rarawai.

Mr Clark said he would not comment on any promises or statements made by his predecessor.

National Farmers Union general secretary Mahendra Chaudhry said farmers should be compensated because the decision to transfer cane was made by the FSC under Mr Khan’s stewardship. “This is a substantial loss for farmers and someone needs to front up and compensate the Tavua and Rakiraki farmers,” the former prime minister said.

Mr Chaudhry called on the Sugar Cane Growers Council to take up the issue with the Sugar Industry Tribunal.