Cane production target by Labasa Farmers

The Sugar Industry which was once the largest foreign exchange earner in Fiji is slowly winding down.

The Penang Sugar mill in Rakiraki kicked off the crushing season last month and experienced some difficulties in its first week of operations.

The Fiji Cane growers association says they are adamant that despite flooding and delay in fertilizer delivery the mill will be able to crush close to 600,000 tonnes by the end of this year.

FCGA Labasa branch executive officer Mohammed Rafiq says non renewal of land leases has been a major contributor to the decline in cane production over the years.

"Some of the farmers whose lease are on the verge of expiry, some of them are on grace period, so this farmers are not sure whether there are leases will be renewed or not, so that is why they are there with their families and take less initiative in working in the sugar cane farm, but if the assurance is there, 100 percent assurance given that there leases then they would have taken more interest and worked in their farm more actively."

Meanwhile crushing at the Labasa mill will begin today.

source: radiofiji