The Minister for Multi-Ethnic Affairs and Sugar, Charan Jeath Singh, also one of Fiji’s biggest and successful entrepreneurs, is using his business acumen to encourage more sugar production.

Despite reports of thefts and vandalism which had been affecting sugarcane delivery to the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) Labasa Mill for ages, Mr Singh is using his business skills to get more sugarcane delivery to the mill.

This comes after Labasa Mill general manager, Leela Ramesh raised concerns of thefts of railway tracks, cart rails and cables to tie sugarcane on trucks, locomotives and carts have been affecting cane supply for years.

Mr Ramesh said locomotives and cart rails were always uprooted by vandals.

“People have their selfish motives to damage FSC property,” Mr Ramesh.

He said the criminal activities had dropped over the years because of engagement of members of communities and farmers.

“There is a lot of supervision, we are giving responsibility to the community and FSC monitoring teams.”

Optimism

Mr Singh acknowledges the problems faced by the FSC, especially Labasa Mill, coupled with the changing weather patterns.

The sugarcane farmer, businessman-turned minister in the Coalition Government, has good news for sugarcane farmers.

He and the FSC are open to hear the concerns of farmers to ensure everything from sugarcane supply to its crushing operates efficiently.

“I want to see the FSC management to cooperate with me and have an efficient and successful season,” Mr Singh said.

The Labasa Mill’s target is 600,000 tons of sugarcane to be crushed. With unfavourable weather affecting supply and production, Mr Singh has forecast a shortfall of 10-15 per cent.

Sugar demand and incentives

With the demand of sugar increasing in the world market, Mr Singh and the FSC have strategies to encourage farmers to harvest more sugarcane.

“Farmers can expect more price for their sugarcane from 2024,” Mr Singh said.

“Afterwards, if farmers supply above their average target annually, they will reach between $85-$90,” Mr Singh said.

He has directed his teams to supply more rail carts to farmers to bring more sugarcane to the mill.

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