Opposition MP Viam Pillay has described the 2025 crushing season as one of the darkest chapters in Fiji’s sugar industry, saying it represents a complete breach of trust and an economic disaster for thousands of cane farmers.
In a statement, Pillay said the Minister for Sugar Charan Jeath Singh had assured Parliament that every last stick of cane would be crushed, even if mills had to operate until the end of January. However, with mills now closed, that pledge has “officially collapsed”.
He said the closure has left record levels of stand-over cane, with an estimated 85,000 tonnes remaining in the Western Division alone, from Sigatoka to Rakiraki. Nationally, Pillay said the situation represents the worst stand-over crisis in Fiji’s modern history.
“The Minister claims stand-over happens every year, but this is not a normal year. This is a record-breaking catastrophe, and it happened on his watch,” Pillay said.
He estimated farmers have lost more than $8.9 million in potential income, funds needed for school fees, loan repayments, fertiliser and fuel.
Pillay criticised claims that closing mills early saved about $50,000 a day, saying the savings were insignificant compared to farmers’ losses.
The MP said the prolonged non-operation of the Rarawai Mill crippled the Western Division, while farmers are now left with unharvested cane during the wet season. He rejected explanations blaming weather and labour shortages.
Pillay called for immediate compensation for affected farmers, a full refund of burnt-cane penalties, a transparent audit into the mill’s failure, and an emergency recovery plan by the Fiji Sugar Corporation.
“This is not about politics,” he said. “It is about justice for the people who sustain this industry.”
