Growers council calls for swift cane harvest

The Sugar Cane Growers Council (SCGC) is urg­ing harvesting gangs and industry stakeholders to speed up operations, warning that delays in the 2026 harvesting season continue to affect cane growers.

Speaking at a media conference yesterday, SCGC Chief Executive Officer Vimal Dutt said the num­ber of harvesting gangs operating remained below expectations, although more operators were com­pleting the required arrangements and submitting their Memorandum of Gang Agreement(MOGA) forms.

"Our growers have invested their time, effort and resources into producing this crop. The cane standing in the field represents their hard work, their income, their families and their livelihoods," Mr Dutt said.

He said favourable weather and accessible cane fields meant there was no time to lose and called on harvesting gangs, machine operators, lorry op­erators and other stakeholders to work together to maximise the season.

Mr Dutt said government support, including the guaranteed cane price of $85 per tonne, the $47 per tonne delivery payment, fuel and manual harvest­ing subsidies, and cartage assistance, had given growers much-needed confidence amid rising har­vesting and transport costs.

"The responsibility before us now is to convert this support into action, mobilise harvesting gangs, maximise the favourable weather condi­tions and deliver a successful crushing season," he said.

Mr Dutt also welcomed increased Police patrols aimed at preventing cane burning, citing the case of Labasa grower Chech Reddy, who is harvesting green cane after enduring almost a decade of re­peated cane-burning incidents.

He acknowledged the Ministry of Immigration for assisting with work visas for cane harvester operators from India to help address labour short­ages.

On cane transportation, Mr Dutt renewed the council's call for the reopening of the Tavua tram­line, saying it remained critical for growers sup­plying Lautoka Mill, particularly those in the Dra­masi sector.

He said the council had written to the Sugar In­dustry Tribunal seeking the lifting of the tempo­rary closure order on the tramline, adding that restoring the service would improve affordability, accessibility and reliability for affected growers.

Mr Dutt also welcomed consultations by the Special Committee on the Sugar Industry, saying growers must be involved in decisions that shape the future of Fiji's sugar industry.