Farmer Loses Hope After Portion Of Sugarcane Farm Burns

Mohammed Zairan Azaad’s spirits has been hit badly after he lost and estimated 150 tonnes of sugarcane.

He lost them during a fire at his Vo­tualevu farm in Nadi on Wednesday.

The Nadi farmer could now only contemplate how a portion of all his hard work had now been turned to ashes.

“A similar incident also happened last year. Just a few weeks before the crushing season when my sugar­cane was set on fire,” he said.

“My hope about Sugarcane farm­ing was dampened. We have worked so hard to get something out of it, but it just turned out this way.

“We are worried people might set fire again on the rest of the tonnes that are left on the field. It is so diffi­cult when our cane gets burned dur­ing the off season.”

Mr Azaad has 26 acres of land with 700 tonnes of Sugarcane planted in it.

An estimated 150 tonnes were al­legedly set on fire and more than 500 tonnes remain on the field.

He said during midday on Wednes­day, he was alerted by a neighbour that the sugarcane field was on fire.

“We called the firefighters and while waiting for them, my brother and I managed to save a portion us­ing our tractors,” he said.

Police spokesperson Wame Bau­tolu confirmed that the matter had been reported and investigations continue