Cane payment announcement after stakeholder meeting: Minister

Announcement of the third sugarcane payment will be decided following a high-profile sugar industry stakeholder meeting today (Thursday), says Minister for Sugar, Tomasi Tunabuna. 

Mr Tunabuna said any announcement would be carefully discussed with the sugar stakeholders to ascertain the payment timeframe and amount. 

"The announcement on the details of the cane payment will be done by the Sugarcane Tribunal because of their mandatory role," he clarified. 

He understood the concerns and financial worries of farmers around the country, however, described the current payment method complex. 

Minister Tunabuna said due to the declined price of global sugar, Fiji was severely impacted because our quality of sugar exported was of poor standard. 

He said there were lot of impurities in the sugar produced from all mills in the country because of burnt cane supplied and unapproved varieties of cane harvested. 

"We have a lot of impurities and trash going together with the sugarcane which are supplied to the mill," he said. 

He explained mechanical harvester operators in an effort to save fuel don't switch on the fan which leads to a lot of impurities combined with the sugarcane carted to the mill.

"Last year was also the highest concentration of burnt cane been sent to the mill which farmers should be more concerned about the poor quality of cane they supply," he emphasised. 

Mr Tunabuna said farmers need to first improve the quality of sugarcane sent to the mills because poor quality meant low price range in the world market for Fijian sugar. 

He respected farmers who toiled the land and produced high quality of sugarcane as their main source of income, however, cautioned farmers who transported burnt cane to avoid this practice. 

While he earlier confirmed the Budget for the 2025/2026 financial year for the ministry was exhausted for any sugar payment support, he remains hopeful funds would be made available by Government. 

When asked on his cabinet meeting with the Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka and Minister for Finance, Esrom Immanuel, Mr Tunabuna, said efforts were underway to sought the funding from Government to assist with the payment. 

"My ministry does have the funds for payment, so I have to ask for the other ministries if they could direct some allocation to us for cane payment," he said. 

He raised concerns that when Government topped-up the cane payment price, he believed increased sugarcane production of quality should be priorised by farmers. 

"In the past two years, when the cane payment price was topped up by Government, there hasn't been any increase in quality sugarcane supplied and produced," he said. 

Minister Immanuel, said they would make a firm decision on the third cane payment and the facilitation of Government top-up in the next few days. 

"I think there will be an announcement made," he said. 

Sugarcane farmers in all 10 sectors in Fiji continue to wait for their payment with farmers complaining that they were financially constrained without timely payment. 

Firoz Ali of Bucaisau sector in Labasa strongly criticised the delay of cane payment and claimed farmers were cheated on their hard work. 

Mr Ali said as each day ends, their financial woes increase with uncertainty when they would receive their fruits of their hard labour. 

He added this would be the first time in Fiji's sugarcane landscape, that farmers did not receive their third cane payment in March.