The Opposition has criticised the government over repeated bailouts of the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC), warning that millions of dollars in taxpayer support have failed to rescue the struggling industry or protect farmers.
MP Viam Pillay said government support has been “patchwork, not a plan,” pointing to the write-off of $200.2 million in FSC debt and $200 million in loan guarantees. Despite this, he said, cane production has fallen 15 percent according to FSC reports.
“How much of the taxpayer’s money must we pour into the Fiji Sugar Corporation before you prioritise the farmer?” Pillay said in a statement.
“The money is not solving the crisis.”
He argued that government allocations are merely subsidising inefficiency, leaving farmers burdened with high costs and unfair penalties.
Pillay said the Minister for Sugar’s public rhetoric shows profound disrespect towards growers, who he claimed are being sidelined and humiliated while the Ministry focuses on corporate balance sheets rather than the challenges faced in the cane belt.
The Opposition is demanding urgent relief measures for farmers.
“The debt has been written off for FSC; the penalties must be written off for the farmers,” Pillay said.
He called for an immediate suspension of all punitive burnt cane penalties and full refunds to struggling growers.
Highlighting the risk to the next generation, he said, “How can we expect youth to enter this industry when they inherit debt, rising production costs, and face penalties for their efforts? Security, fairness, and viability must be legislated to attract our youth.”
Pillay also criticised delays in convening the Special Parliamentary Committee on Sugar, established to deliver a national solution for the industry.
“This Committee must not be a platform for Ministers to talk about the farmers; it must be a platform for the farmers to be heard.”
He urged the committee to conduct a “deep dive” into debt, viability, and long-term planning, ensuring the industry has more than temporary government guarantees.
“We are watching, and we will hold this government accountable for every dollar spent and every promise broken to the growers of Fiji,” he said.
