Farmers Call For ‘Low’ Cost Of Living

Sugarcane farmer and businessman Vinod Kumar has requested a decrease in the cost of automotive parts in the 2024-2024 National Budget.

Mr Kumar is from Vakabuli, Lautoka.

“The cost of living is very high for us farmers,” he said.

“I would say we feel it most when the sugarcane crushing season starts because we have labourers and supply groceries to them for two weeks. It is adding costs to my truck business. One truck has two batteries. One battery costs $270 with a one-year warranty,” he said.

“I have two trucks, and then I have to pay $1,480 each for the fitness of one truck at the Land Transport Authority (LTA) one year; the wheel tax cost is high too.

“Its lucky that I have three other farms in Lautoka, which I do share farming on. The income I get from there helps me, but we always complain about the quality of the weedicide.

“Before, we used to spray twice; now we have to spray three times, and the grass still won’t die. It makes it hard for farmers because it’s very hard to find labour, and if I have to spray it four times on a farm, then it’s quite costly,” he said.

He said Government needed to increase the social welfare assistance allocation.

“If the cost of living continues to go up, $100 a month will not be enough to afford anything. You would not even be able to fill one plastic bag of groceries, so I think they should increase it.

Mr Kumar’s neighbour Devi echoed similar sentiments.

The only request we have is to increase the social welfare money to $400 a month, so $100 a week. Some of us really have to decide whether we should buy our medicine or buy groceries, so we have to sacrifice one, Ms Devi said.

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