AT its peak, Kavanagasau, Sigatoka, had more than 200 farmers producing about 50,000 tonnes of sugar cane per season.
From Narata, Yalava, Naroro, Nawamaqi, Kavoca, Laselase to inland Nadrala, cane stalks proudly swayed in some of the most fertile soil on this side of Viti Levu.
The hills, valleys and flatlands were literally awash with the “green gold” and the area was known as a vibrant cane producing area.
During its glory days, hundreds of workers were employed as labourers and in the harvest and crushing season, locomotives snaked through cane fields, ferrying fresh green cane to the Lautoka sugar mill.
All that came to a halt when huge floods in January 2009 partially destroyed the Sigatoka rail bridge, washing away the livelihoods and aspirations of farmers who lived on the Suva end of the Sigatoka River.
Located inland from Laselase Village, these were the farmers whose plantations were inaccessible to lorries. The loss for the farmers and the industry as reported in this newspaper on September 14, 2009, was $1.4 million.
Before 2009, more than 20 gangs in Kavanagasau, Narata, Yalava, Naroro, Nawamaqi, Kavoca, Laselase and Nadrala were vigorously involved in cane production.
Today, the only place that grows cane is Nadrala and there are only three gangs left.
Concerned about their plight at the time the bridge was destroyed, 180 farmers signed a petition which was taken by the Fiji Cane Growers Association to the Fiji Sugar Corporation.
They acknowledged that because of the considerable cost of rebuilding the rail bridge, an alternative and cost-effective solution would be to station a locomotive to haul cane from the Kavanagasau and Nadrala areas to the Suva-end of the Melrose bridge.
The FCGA said tractors could have been used to haul the rail carts across the Melrose bridge and load onto the railway line on the Sigatoka Town end for carriage to the Lautoka mill.
However, the FSC — under the then CEO Deo Saran — opted for farmers in Kavanagasau and Nadrala to use lorries instead.
This forced farmers who were paying less than $10 per tonne for rail cartage to fork out the $30 per tonne demanded by lorry operators.
This arrangement made little economic sense to farmers facing financial hardship so many turned to other types of crops — or simply walked away from their farm.
Even Government’s assistance and the implementation of a subsidy of more than $20 per tonne to assist farmers cope with costs did not do much to stem the exodus.
During a survey of the area over the past two weeks, The Fiji Times discovered vacant land overgrown with bushes where cane once grew.
The survey teams also met farmers who were concerned about the future of the industry, with many asking questions on the amount of resources spent on cartage subsidies, which they believe could have been put to better use in repairing the rail bridge.
And many who were interviewed said even though they were grateful for the cartage subsidy, the rising cost of living was making it difficult for them to make ends meet.
Almost every grower said the cane price had to be increased to at least $100 per tonne for there to be any future in cane farming.
The FSC this week unveiled its Strategic Action Plan 2018-2022.
The miller has set its primary focus on increasing cane production.
CEO Graham Clark has said sugar was produced out in canefields and there was an urgent need to increase the quality and quantity of cane.
He also said $50m from the increased $202m loan guarantee recently approved by Parliament would be used to upgrade the rail network and equipment.
Today, about 80 per cent of the cane harvested is transported using lorries and 20 per cent via the rail network. The FSC hopes to increase the amount of cane hauled via rail to about 40 per cent.
The cost savings — if the plan is successful— will mean more dollars in farmers’ pockets and less congestion on our roads.