The fourth cane payment for farmers will be made on May 19.

Fiji Sugar Corporation chief executive Graham Clark said they were now waiting for the Sugar Tribunal to confirm the price that is to be paid.

“This should be decided by today,” Mr Clark said.

“The formalities have now concluded in regards to the price to be paid that is now with the Sugar Tribunal. I am hoping that the price will be published probably in the weekend’s press.”

He said the payment was being paid at least two weeks ahead this year because this was requested by the farmers.

“We have answered the call from the farmers to try and bring the payment forward normally to be paid somewhere around at the end of May and we will pay it on May 19,” Mr Clark said.

Mr Clark hopes this will give farmers the help they needed.

In addition, FSC has acknowledged the significant contribution by Government.

Govt’s aid to the farmers:

n Over $9 million has now been ploughed back into farms to improve planting

n A new $2 million facility for cane harvesters is being finalised to enable another 22 harvesters to come into the industry

n Fertilisation subsidy continues the cane access road and maintenance programmes continue as well.

Funding for the new mill

The FSC says it has various means of funding the establishment of the newly-proposed sugar mill.

Mr Clark revealed that the board members yesterday had successful talks in this regards to the executives from the Asian Development Bank.

Likewise, he said an Indian bank which were financial providers for the FSC previously had opted to help in the development of the mill as well.

“We believe there is more than enough funding available for us to do the job and we have more than enough technical resource to put the two together,” he said.

“What we do is we will look for the right location and when that factory is put up it will be put up with an intention to reduce the cost to the growers.

“It will be closer to their farms and with modern efficiency we will reduce the cost of producing sugar as well.”

Edited by Naisa Koroi

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