FOOD security, water supply and animal feed are among the concerns that cane farmers will have to contend with aside from harvesting cane during the prolonged dry period.
Sugar Cane Growers Council CEO Vimal Dutt said the industry has activated immediate measures to address these concerns.
“We had a meeting with our industry stakeholders, and a few immediate concerns were raised during the meeting which we will have to address.
“These include food security, water supply and animal feed for the grower’s livestock,” said Mr Dutt.
“This is apart from the concerns about the cane harvesting.
“So we are putting in immediate measures and the first being sending out advisories to our growers to actively preserve water supply and animal feed for their livestock.”
He said growers would also be discouraged from planting ratoons during the dry spell.
“For the time being we are also asking our growers to not plant ratoons at the moment.
“Once the weather improves then they would be encouraged to plant them.
“One of the issues we will work with the Sugar Research Institute is the supply of seed cane which they will need to supply to our growers and ensure that supply is maintained and sufficient.”
The prolonged dry spell is fuelled by an El Nino which brings below normal rainfall to Fiji is currently present in the tropical Pacific Ocean.
According to the Fiji Meteorological Services, both ocean and atmospheric conditions are showing stronger El Niño signals, indicating that the event is likely to continue strengthening until next year.
Most global climate models suggest that this El Niño event is likely to reach strong to very strong intensity and persist through the end of 2026 and into early 2027.
Nilesh Prasad (middle) with his labourers at his farm in Drasa Lautoka. Picture: REINAL CHAND
