Fiji Farmers Raise Grant Concerns
Farmers in Labasa have raised concerns about not receiving their sugarcane planting grants for this year, despite applying between August and October. They continue to plant new crops while waiting. The Ministry of Finance released the funds to the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) in mid-November, and the grants are now being verified. Minister Charan Jeath Singh noted that careful checks are required to prevent issues like poor germination, which occurred last year after early fund releases. The government is working to address the farmers’ concerns.
A group of farmers in Labasa is yet to receive their sugarcane planting grant.
They raised their concerns with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, and Communications, Manoa Kami-kamica, during his recent visit to Lajonia, Labasa.
Mr Kamikamica assured them that he would inform the Minis-ter for Sugar, Charan Jeath Singh, of their concern.
Farmers Vineshwar Prasad, Sunil Nair, Kamal Singh, and Parmeshwar Pillay told Mr Kamikamica that, unlike last year, they have not yet received their sugar-cane planting grant this year.
They applied for the grant between August and October and have been waiting ever since.
“While we wait, we continue to work on the farm, planting new crops right after harvest and land preparation,” Mr Prasad said.
“I have four acres of land, and the plants are growing well.”
Mr Prasad claims he was informed by a Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) officer that the grant had not been released by the Ministry of Sugar.
Like Mr Prasad, Mr Nair has planted sugarcane on his 3.5-acre land while waiting.
“FSC and the ministry should be prepared to release the grant upon inspection of the farms,” Mr Nair said.
He said majority of the farmers were not well educated and only relied on verbal information.
Mr Pillay of Lajonia, Labasa has been a sugarcane farmer for more than 20 years.
“We have an aging population of farmers who deserve to be looked after as sugar cane farming business is their only source of income,” Mr Pillay said.
“I have planted cane in my four-acre farm and also applied for grant because I want to continue my family business.”
Meanwhile, Mr Singh who has just returned from the COP29 at Baku, Azerbaijan said the Ministry of Finance had released the fund which had been passed on to FSC last week.
“According to the information I have received, funds were released to FSC on November 12 and 18, and it is now in the process of verifying the farms,” Mr Singh said.
“Last year, the funds were released earlier, and farmers ended up not planting much. There were cases of improper germination.”
He added that applications need to be thoroughly checked before funds can be released.
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Source Link : Fiji Sun
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