Cane farmers across Fiji have rejected the revised delivery payment of $47 per tonne announced by the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC), insisting that nothing less than $60 per tonne would allow them to harvest sustainably this season.
At a National Farmers Union (NFU) pocket meeting in Nawaicoba, Nadi, growers from Nawaicoba and Vatualevu stood firm on their demand for a $60 per tonne delivery price, saying the revised offer remains inadequate in the face of rising costs.
“This is an insult. They need to treat us farmers with more respect,” one farmer told the meeting.
Similar opposition to the revised payment has emerged from growers in Labasa, Ba and Lautoka, according to the NFU.
Farmers say the cost of harvesting and transporting cane to the mills has risen sharply, with some growers located further from the mills facing delivery costs of $60 per tonne or more.
Growers argue that under the current arrangement they would effectively be subsidising the industry out of their own pockets.
NFU leader Mahendra Chaudhry said farmers were no longer willing to absorb those costs.
“With delivery costs at $60 per tonne or more for those further away from the mills, growers are simply not able to fork out any more money from their pockets,” Mr Chaudhry said.
He warned that the start of the crushing season could face further delays if growers’ concerns were not addressed.
“It is now clear that unless FSC and the Government meet the demands of the growers and come up with a satisfactory delivery payment, they will not harvest,” Mr Chaudhry said.
The revised $47 per tonne delivery payment was announced by FSC yesterday as efforts continue to secure sufficient cane supply for the start of the 2026 crushing season.
The Fiji Times has sought comments from FSC and the Ministry of Sugar on the growers’ concerns. Their responses had not been received by the time this edition went to press.
