Jale Daucakacaka 
Acting Prime Minister Biman Prasad says there is ample time before the next budget to evaluate the sugar industry’s needs.
Prasad acknowledges the inherited challenges of ageing infrastructure and labour shortages are affecting the sector but reassures that the government is committed to supplying essential resources for the industry’s revival.
The Finance Minister says government has taken some of the most relevant immediate steps to revitalize the sugar industry.
“Such as providing additional funding for cane access roads, supporting new planting, making sure that the farmers are not short-changed, giving them the highest price ever in the history of this country, which is going to motivate them to increase their acreage and the planting.”
Prasad says the medium-term objective to upgrade the mills and infrastructure are also underway.
“Looking at value adding, producing ethanol, making sure that our mills are upgraded, aged infrastructure and machines are replaced, these are medium to long term and in the next one or two years under the able leadership of the Sugar Minister I think we should be able to do a lot more.”
The Finance Minister says that the future looks bright for the industry, but it will take a collective effort from all stakeholders to get this sector to the heights it was once renowned for.
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