Chaudhry vows to keep fighting for farmers at 84

“I will be turning 84 soon, and I will not stop doing what I am doing as leader of the Fiji Labour Party (FLP) because there is still a lot to be done,” says Mahendra Chaudhry.

He made the statement during the National Farmers Union (NFU) Labasa branch annual general meeting last Saturday.

Mr Chaudhry also addressed the gathering of sugarcane farmers in his capacity as NFU general secretary.

“The Fiji Labour Party is a movement. Whether we are in Parliament or not, we will continue to raise our voice on behalf of the people and farmers,” he said.

“There are too many interest groups pursuing their own agendas, and no one is focused on what matters to this nation in terms of the current challenges we are facing.”

He said this was reflected in the living conditions of many people in Fiji, with evidence of poverty and families struggling to put food on the table.

During the meeting, farmers raised concerns about the deteriorating state of cane access roads following prolonged heavy rains over the past several months.

Mr Chaudhry said farmers were calling on relevant authorities to release funding to repair the roads ahead of the 2026 harvest season.

“The farmers want the Growers Council elections to be held as soon as possible so that they have elected representatives to address their concerns,” he said.

“They also want the sugar industry to be recognised as a separate ministry, rather than being part of the Ministry of Agriculture.”

He added that, noting the fuel rebate granted to bus operators, growers were also calling for a similar concession to assist those transporting cane to mills by lorry.

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