Apenisa Waqairadovu 
The government and the Opposition has agreed that the railway system is a cheaper mode of transporting canes to the various mills.
Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu highlighted the need to revive the railway system, to which Sugar Minister Charan Jeath Singh says the government is aware of the plea by farmers.
Singh says a study will be conducted.
“There was a study done for the railway system to be upgraded, and that was done about four or five years ago, and now that we have come in, we are going to use the same company to give us a new quotation and prices as to what the cost of the upgrade is, and once that is finalized, we will come to the Minister for Finance for funding.”
The Sugar Minister says in the budget there is an allocation for cage bins, and this indicates the government’s commitment to revive the rail system.
Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad says this requires a huge investment, but it will be a worthwhile exercise.
“In the last so many years, basically no investment has been made; in fact, the incentives provided to farmers, lorry drivers, and others actually moved away from rail, but now it’s very clear that the farmers realize that the best and most cost-effective means of transporting cane was rail.”
Prasad says once the study is completed, a fair idea of the true cost will be available, and reviving the railway system will begin in certain areas where the cost of transportation is a major factor.
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