SELLING the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) to a private company remains an option, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says.
However, Mr Rabuka said FSC was considered a strategic asset and any decision on its future would need to take into account its importance as a public enterprise. “Selling is an option, but there are certain things that we call strategic assets, and these are strategic assets,” he said.
“They belong to the Government, and what we can do is improve the performance of the industry.”
Mr Rabuka made the comments following concerns over the amount of Government funding used to support the sugar industry, including about $18 million annually to pay off FSC’s debt.
Sugar Minister Tomasi Tunabuna had earlier raised concerns about the significant investment required to revive the sugarcane sector and improve the industry’s performance.
Mr Rabuka said the Government was focused on improving the industry’s performance while considering options for its future.
He said the Special Committee on the Sugar Industry was engaging with stakeholders to gather their views on challenges facing the sector.
The committee has already visited sugar-growing areas in the Western Division and is expected to travel to the North for further consultations.
Sugar remains a major industry in Fiji, supporting thousands of farmers and contributing to the economy.
