Reshmi Kumari is the new chairperson of the Sugar Cane Growers Council.

Ms Kumari’s appointment was made by the Prime Minister and Minister of the Sugar Industry, Voreqe Bainimarama, pursuant to the Sugar Industry Act 1984.

She is the first female amongst the five industry institutions to take up the chairperson role.

The board said Ms Kumari brings a wealth of experience and strategic vision to her role of leadership to oversee the planning, designing and implementation of plans and strategic actions to benefit cane growers in Fiji.

She holds positions of increasing responsibility and complexity as director for policy, planning and research at the Ministry of Sugar Industry, while serving as board member of the Sugar Research Institute of Fiji, Biosecurity Authority Fiji, and Foods Processors (Fiji) Ltd.

She hails from cane farming family in Tavua.

The board said Ms Kumari  will work with new chief executive officer Vimal Dutt, and was well placed to work closely with Fiji Sugar Corporation Ltd, South Pacific Fertilisers Ltd, Sugar Cane Growers Fund, Sugar Industry Tribunal, and Sugar Research Institute of Fiji to execute council’s role of protection and development of the industry and of the interests of cane growers.

Ms Kumari holds a Master of Arts majoring in Economics from the University of Tsukuba in Japan.

Permanent Secretary of Sugar Industry, Yogesh Karan, welcomed Ms Kumari’s appointment and wished her well for her new governance leadership role.

Ms Kumari succeeds Sanjay Kumar, the outgoing chairman of the council.

Mr Kumar will continue to provide strategic advice to the council as director operations for Ministry of Sugar Industry.

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