DRASA sector grower Nilesh Prasad lost 90 per cent of his farm to an uncontrollable fire that claimed close to 100 tonnes of sugar cane and $3000 worth of pineapple.
Mr Prasad said their attempts to put out the fire last Wednesday was futile because of the dry conditions.
“We don’t usually get this kind of fire that spread so quickly,” said Mr Prasad. “It started from one very small end of the cane field, and it quickly spread to the other sections.
“The fire started around 3pm and it took about three hours for us to control it.” He said the dry conditions had made it worse.
“It’s been very dry. So when a fire starts, it spreads very quickly.”
Mr Prasad’s farm and many others located within the Western Division had fallen victim to indiscriminate burning. Sugar Cane Growers Council CEO Vimal Dutt said stakeholders had been briefed about the prolonged dry spell they anticipate would also impact the sugar industry.
“We are expecting issues of farms burning, water supply going low and food security concerns,” he said.
“So we are doing our best to implement some immediate and long term measures for our growers.”
Nilesh Prasad (middle) with his labourers at his farm in Drasa, Lautoka. Picture: REINAL CHAND
