The Attorney-General and Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum clarified the current $85 per tonne of cane during a talanoa session yesterday.

This followed the opening of the Fiji Sugar Corporation Lautoka Mill crushing season.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum clarified the price to the Tui Vuda, Ratu Eparama Tavaiqia after Mr Tavaiqia raised the question on why the price of cane hadn’t increased.

He said the price of cane was set by international big players.

“One year they can buy it for $45, the other year they can buy it for $65 a tonne, maybe one year they can buy $100, it always fluctuates and it depends what’s happening in the world – we don’t set the price,” he said.

“What the Government has done is for our sugarcane prices concern, we assure the farmers we will give you $85 a tonne, never mind whether the price is $50 or $40, you’ll get $85 so that is what Government is paying for you on your behalf, that’s how it happens.”

He said the situation was similar for the price of fuel.

Meanwhile a question was raised on having a dedicated cremation site where families could see their loved ones off for the last time.

The A-G said Government had built a cremation site in Suva and there were other potential sites around the country that Government would look at.

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