SUGARCANE growers are looking to the fourth cane payment to cater for the rise of fuel cost they expect will come before the start of the 2026 crushing season.
Former Fiji Sugar Corporation board member Arvind Singh said with the delayed third cane payment expected on April 20, growers had accumulated costs that would be covered by the third instalment.
“Now our focus is on the fourth cane payment and how much we will get in our pockets because we will need it to pay for fuel and everything else that will increase because of that,” said Mr Singh.
“Growers are already getting requests from labourers to increase their labour rate from $25 to $35 and $40 per tonne.
“Then we have the lorry drivers who we are expecting to increase their rate and also the mechanical harvesters.
“We know that the mechanical harvester has a set rate of $15 per tonne but that will have to increase because how will the operators use the machine if they can’t meet the fuel cost?”
Mr Singh said a meeting of all stakeholders should be carried out with growers in every district within the sugar cane belt.
“They need to meet with us and discuss their plan to address the costs we will be facing when the crushing season starts.
“We don’t want the grower being surprised by how everything is so expensive.
“They need to talk to us now and prepare us for the next season.”
Questions sent to Minister for Sugar, Tomasi Tunabuna remained unanswered.
