Kelera Ditaiki 
[Photo: FILE]
Agriculture Minister Tomasi Tunabuna says government assistance must take into account the challenges faced by all farmers, not just those in the sugar industry.
This was a comment made when sugarcane farmers are requesting additional support for cane farmers amid rising fuel costs.
Tunabuna said many non-sugar farmers are also dealing with increased transportation and production expenses.
“Our other farmers, apart from the non-sugarcane farmers, were not assisted like the assistance given to sugarcane farmers. When I’m led to believe that around 10,000 sugarcane farmers, there are a lot more non-sugarcane farmers who are also facing the same problem. So all in all, the government is already working on how we are going to address the increase in fuel prices.”
He noted that sugarcane farmers already benefit from a range of government subsidies, including assistance for land preparation, planting, harvesting, fertiliser, and chemicals.
Tunabuna said while the government is exploring ways to address the impact of rising fuel prices, support measures should be fair and consider the needs of the wider agricultural sector.
He added that discussions are ongoing on how best to assist farmers and other sectors affected by the global fuel crisis.
