Sugar Industry: 6000 acres means survival

THE survival or viability of the sugar industry hinges on the its ability to replant sugarcane on 6000 acres of land by April.

The permanent secretary in the Prime Minister's office, Parmesh Chand, said efforts were being made to restructure the industry which has experienced all sorts of problems such as expiry of land leases, fertilisers, milling and production problems.

A member of the Committee for Better Utilisation of Land, which was formed to oversee land problems facing the industry, Mr Chand said it was important to turn the industry around because it has continued to face losses.

One of the reforms and strategies of the committee is the increasing of rental revenue by four per cent to landowners who agree to renew their lease.

This is on top of the six per cent on unimproved capital value paid by tenants to landowners. Last year, the State paid out a total of $3.5million to landowners for the six months from July to December last year.

"It is a strategy that is working out well. Priority will be given by the Government on settlements where the leases have been renewed on the provision of infrastructure because the critical mass is there," Mr Chand said.

The 6000 acres of land, if replanted with sugarcane, will boost production.