Sugar industry open to landowners: Chand

LANDOWNERS are most welcome to be part of the sugar industry the governments says.

Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Parmesh Chand has reiterated government’s position of keeping the industry open to landowner participation.

“Government’s plans for landowners still remain even after they had acquired their land by virtue of expiring land leases,” said Chand.

“The landowners that re-acquired their land by virtue of expiry of those land leases
were given the assistance under the Farming Assistance Scheme to get into farming,” he said.

Chand added that there was opportunity for share farming wherever there were willing parties.

“They will at least get a higher level of ground rental by way of another four per cent subsidy on the Unimproved Capital Value which initially was at six per cent, now another four per cent subsidy is being given by government to make the returns better,” he said.

Chand said the sugar industry was not an industry to be considered in isolation because sugar farming had associated development.

This included infrastructure development (cane access roads) and other services like schools and shops.

“It’s all a community development affair so if landowners continue to release their land under the provision of existing laws there is always that extra developmental opportunity they will enjoy by way of improved roads, improved drainage and the provision of other utilities, which a community normally needs,” said Chand.

“The sugar industry should be seen as an overall some gain because it’s the integration of the industry with the rest of the development aspects, which make it quite significant contributor to the national requirement,” he said.