Although the sugar industry presently contributes five percent to Fiji’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product), it has a lot more people involved in it than tourism.

Acting Prime Minister and Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, while opening the crushing at the Rarawai Mill in Ba yesterday, said the Sugar industry in Fiji is very critical to the economy.

He said the industry used to contribute a very large proportion towards the GDP.

“However, even though it contributes only five per cent compared to say tourism which is about 35 per cent to 37 per cent, the sugar industry actually has lot more people involved in it.”

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum added that approximately 200,000 people are affected by the sugar cane industry directly or indirectly.

When sugar is sold, the money goes directly to the hands of people who are cutting it, the people who are planting it, the people who are working in the mill, the people who maybe actually doing the road to ensure that sugar actually gets to the mill. A whole range of people across the economic spectrum are actually involved in the sugar cane industry, he said.

“This is why the sugar cane industry is very important. And as I have said also  that of course there are some issues with the sugar cane industry. There are number of issues that we can highlight starting off from the fact probably, that the  investment that should have gone into FSC three or four decades ago did not actually take place.”

He said during the Colonial Sugar Refinery (CSR) days, while the mills were there essentially a lot of investments were not made into these.

“The good news of course is now in the FSC you have a very good team.

“Chairman Vishnu Mohan, who is a well known banker,  has got a lot of experience in commodity trading. You now have CEO Graham Clark with his vast experience. He brings a lot of experience with him. He has worked in other countries, worked in sugar cane industries, Navin Chandra, Chief Operating Officer, who has worked with process management.”

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said the non-renewal of leases had contributed to the decline of sugar cane supply and this was being addressed by Government through the land utilisation programme. This included adding an extra four percent to landowners for the renewal of these leases.

Edited by: Selita Bolanavanua

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