National Farmers Union General Secretary Mahendra Chaudhry has criticised Minister for Forestry Alitia Bainivalu, accusing her of being out of touch with the struggles of cane farmers while earning a $180,000 annual salary.
The comments come after Ms Bainivalu, in a Facebook post, blamed Mr Chaudhry for the current crisis in the sugar industry and suggested farmers should have accepted an $85 per tonne cane payment.
Mr Chaudhry rejected the criticism, saying the Assistant Minister was ignoring the financial realities faced by growers.
“While she lives comfortably on public money, drawing a huge salary of $180,000 a year which is totally unjustified, she tells farmers who can barely cover their basic costs that they should have accepted $85 a tonne and started harvesting at a loss,” he said.
Mr Chaudhry noted that the $85 per tonne offer was made by the previous Bainimarama Government eight years ago and argued that it no longer reflects the cost of producing cane.
“The $85 a tonne was offered by Prime Minister Bainimarama and that was eight years ago. Her government is unwilling to raise this figure even though costs to the farmer have gone up astronomically since 2018,” he said.
He said farmers made a commercial decision based on rising production costs.
“Farmers looked at their expenses — labour, transport, fertiliser and harvesting costs — and realised they would still lose money at $85. They did not refuse out of politics. They refused because no one can be expected to work at a loss.”
Mr Chaudhry said the Minister’s position insulated her from the hardships experienced by farming families.
“The Minister may not understand that reality from her position of privilege, but thousands of farming families live it every day.”
He also criticised the benefits available to Government ministers.
“On top of her $180,000 a year salary, she enjoys free vehicles, allowances, business class travel, duty-free vehicle privileges, and government-issued phones and laptops.”
Mr Chaudhry said the Government needed to recognise the challenges facing growers rather than criticising them.
“She lives off the taxpayers but refuses to recognise the hardship of those who toil hard under trying circumstances to support their families.”
