Fiji’s sugar industry is facing a critical generational crisis, with only 5 per cent of cane farmers under the age of 40, Minister for Sugar Charan Jeath Singh told Parliament yesterday as he outlined urgent reforms to attract young people back into the sector.
Singh said the latest age-profile assessment paints a stark picture of the industry’s future.
“Our latest assessment shows that 7 per cent of our growers are over the age of 70, 12 per cent are between 60 and 70, 14 per cent are between 50 and 60, and 62 per cent are between 40 and 50,” he said. “Only 5 per cent of farmers are below the age of 40.”
The Minister said the figures “speak for themselves,” warning that the lack of young farmers threatens the long-term survival of the sugar sector.
“The number of young farmers entering the industry is critically low, and without intervention, the sustainability of the sugar sector is at risk,” he said.
Singh told Parliament that the central challenge now is drawing Fiji’s next generation back into agriculture.
“The future of Fiji’s sugar industry depends on attracting young, energetic and innovative farmers who can modernise the sector,” he said. “This is not just about numbers—it’s about bringing in the right calibre of young farmers who are business-minded, technology-ready and willing to adopt modern practices.”
He said the ministry and its industry partners have spent the past two years reshaping programs to make cane farming a more appealing, competitive and viable career path for young Fijians.
A major barrier, Singh noted, is the physically demanding nature of traditional cane farming.
“One of the strongest deterrents for our young people has been the highly labour-intensive nature of cane farming,” he said.
To counter this, the government has rolled out wide-ranging mechanisation initiatives through the Fiji Sugar Corporation.
“We have expanded access to tractor services, introduced mechanical planters, mechanical harvesters and precision farm tools across the industry,” Singh said.
“This innovation makes farming faster, more efficient and significantly less physically demanding.”
