WITH the 2024 crushing season already underway, sugarcane farmers have been told to harvest green cane as it is considered a sustainable and environmentally friendly practice for the industry.

Sugar Research of Fiji senior scientific agronomy officer Doreen Pillay said green cane harvesting had many benefits.

“Green cane harvesting emerges as a champion in the fight against climate change,” Ms Pillay said.

“Not only does it sequester carbon in the soil, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions associated with burning, but it also reduces air pollution by eliminating the need for pre-harvest burning, safeguarding the health of workers and nearby communities.”

Ms Pillay said that apart from its environmental advantages, “green cane harvesting delivers tangible economic and social benefits”.

She said cost savings were realised through reduced expenses associated with burning, while improved worker safety was ensured by eliminating the pressure of working under deadline-driven burning conditions.

Ms Pillay said cane trash acted as a mulch layer and the decomposition of cane trash enriched the soil with organic matter, improving its structure, water-holding capacity, and nutrient content, thereby enhancing soil fertility and reducing reliance on synthetic fertilisers.