Farmers await third cane payment as Govt eyes support

A request for a Government top-up to facilitate the third sugarcane payment for farmers will be presented to Cabinet tomorrow.

Minister for Sugar, Tomasi Tunabuna, confirmed that a submission would be made outlining how Government support could help fund the third cane payment for the 2025 crushing season.

Mr Tunabuna acknowledged farmers’ frustration over delays in receiving payments for their produce, saying several factors were being considered.

He said declining global sugar prices had affected revenue, and calculations were underway to determine the payment amount.

“In our request to Cabinet, we will discuss how Government can top up payments to offset the decreasing global price of sugar,” he said.

Responding to concerns that the third cane payment, expected this month, had been delayed, Mr Tunabuna said the timeline depended on the preparation of the Master Award.

“The Master Award must be finalised first. Once that is ready, a timeframe for payment will be announced,” he said.

He did not provide a specific payment date, noting that discussions on pricing were ongoing.

Mr Tunabuna clarified that the 2024 cane payments were made under the 2025–2026 financial year.

“The 2024 cane payment top-up from Government came from this year’s budget,” he said.

He added that the 2024 cane payment exceeded the Government’s guaranteed price of $100 per tonne.

However, he revealed that the ministry’s current budget allocation for top-ups had been exhausted.

The Cabinet meeting will allow the ministry to seek additional funds to support the third cane payment.

Mr Tunabuna noted that any additional allocation would depend on Government financial procedures, including an assessment of cash flow and expenditure.

Farmers, unions concerned

Sugarcane farmer Firoz Ali, of Nagigi in Labasa, said the delay in payments was affecting his ability to support his household.

“With sugarcane as our main source of income, delays make it difficult to sustain our families and prepare for the next crushing season,” he said.

“We need our payment soon because we are hanging by a thread. Even a single day lost affects us greatly.”

The National Farmers Union (NFU) has called on the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) and Government to process the third cane payment as soon as possible, citing growing frustration among farmers.

The union said farmers had expected the payment to be deposited by the last Friday of the month.

NFU president Surendra Lal said FSC had yet to pay the additional $3 per tonne for manually harvested cane, as previously promised by former sugar minister Charan Jeath Singh.

Mr Lal also raised concerns about the $5 per tonne productivity incentive for farmers who exceed their basic farm allotment.

The NFU warned that delays to the third payment could also affect the fourth cane payment due in May.