Farmers urged to minimise sugarcane burning

Sugarcane farmers are being urged to minimise field burning due to its environmental and health impacts on surrounding communities.

Director of Environment, Senimili Baleicakau, made the call today during World Ozone Day celebrations, highlighting the link between burning practices and greenhouse gas emissions.

“We do encourage that you minimise sugarcane burning. Not only it has an environmental impact, it also affects the health of the communities,” Ms Baleicakau said.

Field burning is a common agricultural practice where farmers burn sugarcane fields before harvest to remove leaves and make cutting easier, but the practice releases harmful smoke and gases into the air.

She explained that burning contributes to greenhouse gases that affect the atmosphere, climate, and ozone layer.

“Burning contributes to greenhouse gases, so if you manage air pollution and burning, you control emitting those greenhouse gases that affect our atmosphere and that affects our climate and our ozone layer as well,” she said.

Ms Baleicakau stressed that the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has legislative authority to control air pollution from commercial and industrial facilities.

“In terms of air pollution, there’s legislation in Fiji that governs air pollution from any commercial or industrial facility.

“So, if you have an industry, if you have a business, you’re not allowed to emit air pollution," she said.

The warning extends to sugarcane farmers who must consider the broader environmental impact of their burning practices.

Ms Baleicakau stressed that all citizens have a role to play in pollution control, reinforcing her earlier message about the three Rs - reduce, reuse, and recycle - in waste management.

“We all have a part to play,” she said, noting that the ministry develops policies and legislation to control and manage waste and pollution in Fiji.

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