Hiring of trucks and railway system will be a thing of the past for the Nabutubutu Cane Farmers Cooperative in Macuata.

Now the farmers will send their cane to the Labasa mill in cage bins.

Cooperative’s chairman Madan Sen said it was a historical event for the 50 members from Naikeilikoso, Lagalaga, Nubu and Nadogo.

The cage bins were provided by the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC).

“Before we used to hire trucks and the drivers used to charge $24 per tonne and if there was a breakdown then we had to pay an additional $400,” Mr Sen said.

“With the use of a cage bin there is no cartage fee.”

He said they were able to fill 11 cagenbins and the cane was safely transported to the mill.

Mr Sen said after Tropical Cyclone Yasa and TC Ana, many farmers had given up on sugarcane farming and now ventured into cassava and rice farming.

Now with the assistance of cage bins, it would encourage and boost the cane farmers to invest more in the sugar industry.

Assistant Minister for Sugar Industry George Vegnathan said the farmers faced difficulties in sending cane to the mill after their railway lines were damaged by the two recent cyclones.

Now that it has been fixed, their main focus was to assist farmers in Daku, Wainikoro and Lagalaga area to get their cane out.

“The farmers are assisted with six harvesters and cage bins and additional rail trucks,” Mr Vegnathan said.

“The Ministry is working closely with FSC to ensure maximum sugarcane is harvested by the end of the crushing season.”

As of yesterday he said the Labasa mill had crushed 65 per cent of cane.

Feedback: shratikan@fijisun.com.fj