Cooperatives using mechanical harvesters won’t be required to pay Value Added Tax (VAT), states Fiji Revenue and Customs Service in its 2025-2026 National Budget Summary of Revenue Policies.
This incentive is aimed at including sugar cane farmers in cooperatives which gives them some savings in harvesting costs with the zero-rated VAT.
According to the Sugar Cane Growers Council the sugar industry had 53 cooperatives in operation, of which 48 own mechanical harvesters in 2023.
1436 growers were members of the 53 cooperatives.
