A VAST majority of women pursuing sugarcane farming lack best management practices of sugarcane farmers and end up doing the wrong things, according to the Sugar Research Institute of Fiji.

The institute’s Crop Management HOD Renil Kumar said some of the women make losses and this disheartens them.

“And they opt out of sugarcane farming, but with proper practice they will end up having a good yield, and they’ll make a profit,” Mr Kumar said.

Speaking at the institute’s training on best management practices for women farmers in Nawaicoba in Nadi last Friday, Mr Kumar said the training was mostly conducted for men, and as a result women were left behind.

“I don’t know if we have a budget, but we’ll try to educate women farmers because they are left out most of the time,” Mr Kumar added.

Mr Kumar said 27 women farmers at the training were briefed on the various varieties of sugarcane.

“We are promoting early maturing varieties, so that mills can make more sugar.

“So SRIF is emphasising that we go for an early maturing variety, and we have seedcane. I think it is the only way to emphasise that quality seed cane is very important.”

Mr Kumar also stressed the need for farmers to apply proper dosages of fertiliser.

“You don’t have to overdose, and your soil testing will give you a proper recommendation for fertiliser use.

“This will, I think, enhance the knowledge of the lady farmers here, and we will avoid wastage.”