A Waiqele cane farmer in Labasa is harvesting her crop only to repay a bank loan, despite expecting no profit this crushing season.
Naleen Devi said soaring production costs, labour shortages and higher fuel prices had made cane farming increasingly difficult.
“We are facing so many challenges because we do not have enough labour to cut the cane, and fuel prices have also gone up,” she said.
Ms Devi said she harvested about 600 tonnes of cane last year and expected a similar harvest this season, but the returns would not cover her expenses.
“There is no profit. We are only cutting the cane because if we don’t, it will get burnt and go to waste. I also have to repay my Fiji Development Bank loan.”
She said farmers were spending heavily on fertiliser, spraying, labour and other farming costs but receiving little in return.
“The machine cannot cut all the cane, so we still need workers to finish the job.”
Ms Devi said labour costs had increased significantly, with farmers also expected to provide meals for workers each day.
She said she had not yet received any money from this season’s harvest and was relying on support from her family, including her son in Canada.
Ms Devi said she and her late husband had borrowed $110,000 from the Fiji Development Bank for the farm.
