The National Farmers Union (NFU) has rejected claims by Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) Chairman Nitya Reddy that its campaign for higher cane payments is driven by election politics, insisting the current crisis in the sugar industry is fundamentally an economic issue.
In a statement, NFU said cane growers were unwilling to harvest at the current delivery cane payment of $47 per tonne when production costs were estimated at around $60 per tonne.
“The current sugar crisis is simple: it is an economic issue. It is not political,” the union said.
NFU General Secretary Mahendra Chaudhry said harvesting under the current payment structure would result in losses for farmers.
“The growers themselves are determined not to harvest on a delivery price of $47 per tonne against the $60 per tonne it will cost them – a loss of $13 per tonne. To harvest would be financially suicidal,” he said.
The union criticised Mr Reddy for allegedly failing to address the core issue of grower losses while responding to NFU concerns in a recent Fiji Times Online article.
NFU also renewed concerns over FSC’s operational performance, citing milling inefficiencies, cane left unharvested at the end of the 2025 season, and the fire at Rarawai Mill that disrupted crushing operations for several months.
According to the union, milling problems last season resulted in an average tonnes cane to tonnes sugar (TCTS) ratio of 13, contributing to substantial losses for the industry.
The union further alleged that around 100,000 tonnes of cane remained unharvested at the end of the season, while an estimated 80,000 tonnes of standover cane remained in the Ba Mill area following the Rarawai Mill fire.
“NFU will not stand by and watch growers being penalised for FSC’s failures,” Mr Chaudhry said.
The union maintained that its criticism of FSC was based on concerns over mill performance and management, which it said had directly impacted growers’ incomes.
NFU also defended its long-standing advocacy on behalf of cane farmers, noting that it had raised industry concerns with successive sugar ministers and called for reforms, including an increase in the Minimum Guaranteed Price for cane.
“Election or no election, we have been with the growers since 1978. The bottom line is that NFU will not allow growers to be exploited and penalised for FSC’s failures,” the statement said.
The union has reiterated its call for an industry-wide conference to address ongoing challenges facing Fiji’s sugar sector.
