THE future remains uncertain for some cane farmers in Waiqele, Labasa, as their agricultural leases edge closer to expiry.
Among them is Naleen Devi, who said she had only five years remaining on her lease and was worried about what would happen when it ended.
“My lease is about to expire. I only have about five years left,” she said.
“I don’t know what will happen. We do not have money and we do not have a proper house.”
Ms Devi said her family had relied on cane farming for many years, but increasing production costs and labour shortages had made it difficult to improve their living conditions.
“We only have a temporary home because all our money goes into farming.”
She said farmers continued to battle rising costs for fertiliser, labour and other farm inputs while receiving limited returns from their crops.
The uncertainty surrounding lease renewals had added another burden for growers who depended on the land to support their families.
Ms Devi said many farmers had invested years of hard work into developing their farms and hoped their leases would be renewed. Without secure access to land, she feared many growers would struggle to continue farming and earn a living, placing additional pressure on families already facing financial hardship.
