Eighty-six-year-old farmer says staying active keeps him healthy

For 86-year-old Narayan Choy, sugarcane farming is more than a livelihood — it is what keeps him going.

The Lautoka farmer has spent the past 30 years tending his 10-acre sugarcane farm in Buabua, continuing to work the land every day despite his age.

A former driver with the Lautoka General Bus Company, Mr Choy began his working life in the sugar industry as a sardar before becoming a full-time bus driver.

Since the death of his wife more than a decade ago, he has lived alone while continuing to manage both his home and his farm.

His day begins at 4am, when he prepares roti and curry for breakfast and lunch before completing household chores. He then heads to his farm for a few hours of work before returning home to prepare dinner and retire early.

Mr Choy said staying active had helped him maintain his health.

"I don't get sick easily because I don't smoke cigarettes or drink grog. I sleep early, manage my time well, and keep myself active.

"Even at this age, I still walk to my farm and spend a few hours working there. That is why I don't get sick easily," he said.

Mr Choy said he and other growers in Buabua had signed a Memorandum of Gang Agreement (MOGA), which had been submitted to their gang president.

"However, I am not sure whether it has been submitted to the Fiji Sugar Corporation. I am still waiting for the harvesting machine to harvest my cane.

"All I want is for my cane to be cut and taken to the mill. I don't care much about whatever political influence is going on."

Despite the challenges facing the sugar industry, including rising fuel costs, Mr Choy said he continued to rely on income from his farm, supplemented by social welfare assistance.