National Farmers Union Secretary Mahendra Chaudhry has rejected suggestions that cane growers are responsible for the decline of Fiji’s sugar industry, insisting the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) is the real “sick man” of the industry.
Chaudhry said FSC has repeatedly relied on government bailouts while growers continue to shoulder the burden of low cane prices.
“The ‘sick man’ in the industry is FSC. Not the growers. Government has been bailing out FSC by writing off its debts and providing grants. Just last year it wrote off $200 million in FSC debts. In the 2026/27 Budget, FSC received a $17.8 million grant as working capital. This is preposterous.”
He accused successive governments of failing to hold the corporation accountable for its financial and operational performance.
“If FSC is technically bankrupt today, the blame lies squarely with successive governments that have politicised the Corporation and the sugar industry by dismantling key institutions that ensured accountability and transparency.”
Chaudhry said governments have continued funding FSC without addressing what he described as persistent mismanagement and milling inefficiencies.
“Governments have not held FSC responsible for mismanagement and milling inefficiencies, which is the main reason for industry losses. They kept pumping money into FSC without holding it to account. They have only themselves to blame.”
He maintained that cane farmers should not be blamed for the industry’s current challenges.
“The NFU will not allow government or anyone else to blame cane farmers for the current state of affairs in the sugar industry. They are not responsible for it.”
Chaudhry reiterated the Union’s position that growers deserve a fair return for their cane.
“The growers are providing a product for which they must receive a fair price. They will not do so at a loss.”
He added that if the Government chooses not to hold FSC accountable, it must ensure growers receive a price that reflects the cost of production.
“If government will not hold FSC accountable, then it has to pay the growers a fair price if it wants to buy their cane. No producer can be expected to produce goods at a loss. This is simple economics.”
