Farmers, union questions late incentive payment

National Farmers Union (NFU) presi­dent, Surendra Lal, questioned the delayed Government's announce­ment regarding the manual harvesting and farmer incentive payments by the end of next month.

Farmers are set to receive a $3 per tonne for manual harvesting and $5 per tonne

as farm incentive payment as announced by Government via their official Facebook page.

Mr Lal said from previous crushing sea­sons, these two incentives should have been paid by February, however, this was delayed by close to three months.

"After so much of voicing our concerns, then the Government decided to make an an­nouncement of manual harvesting and farm incentive payments," he said.

Mr Lal said not all farmers would benefit from this incentive with those hiring me­chanical harvester to harvest their cane set to miss out.

"Not all farmers on board with these two payments," he said.

While he understood the payment would ease some financial burdens, other imped­ing costs would affect the farmers' liveli­hoods.

He remained cautious on whether such an­nouncements would be effectively processed without any further delays. He said any more delays would further constraint farm­ers' livelihoods.

Mr Lal is hoping Government lives up to this deadline of payment.

"Farmers get frustrated when promises made are delayed without proper reason­ing," he said.

With the cane payment rates announced, Mr Lal, said the NFU and farmers were not satisfied with the $79.97 confirmed, which is below the $85 per tonne guaranteed price.

"Where is the remaining balance?" he asked.

"In 2023, farmers received a cane payment which was $105 per tonne during a time when there was no fuel crisis, but now with the crisis, the price should be around $120 per tonne."

Government announced a $36.5 million top-up for the 2025 crop season with a top­up of$10.07for the third cane payment (on April 20), $6.77 (fourth payment for May 30) and $5.16 for the final cane payment due in October.

Waiqele sector farmer in Labasa, Emmanuel Jeet, said farmers were not being compensated well for efforts in producing and carting cane.

He said the price offered to them was below their expectations.

Transport subsidy proposal

Mr Lal proposed that Government should consider exploring a fuel subsidy for sugar­cane carting transport providers, due to the increased fuel price.

"The cost of harvesting will increase along with other expenses of cane carting and fer­tiliser price increase with this fuel crisis," he said.

He said if bus operators could be given a fuel subsidy why can't this be provisioned for the sugarcane carting transport provid­ers?

"The carting cost will increase with the fuel hikes, so some form offuel subsidy will be vital to sustaining our industry," he said.