Filipe Naikaso 
The Sugarcane Growers Council welcomes the historic cane payment for farmers.
Yesterday, the cabinet granted its assent to the release of $8.2 million to bolster the final 2022 sugarcane season’s payment.
Council CEO Vimal Dutt warmly embraces this significant development, hailing it as a boon for the farmers, particularly in light of the escalating expenses associated with the harvesting process.
Stressing the significance of the allocated sum, Dutt emphasizes the substantial relief it would bring to the sugarcane farmers.
“That probably sets the platform and gives a very clear indication and a message to the cane farmers that yes, the industry has the stamina to survive, the industry is progressing, and this gives a very positive message to our cane farmers.”
Underlining the disparity, Dutt shed light on the conventional norms governing the final cane payment for a particular season, often derisively referred to as the ‘washout cane payment,’ which typically amounts to a mere $1.12.
Dutt points out the overwhelmingly positive feedback received from the farming community.
The fifth cane payment the farmers will receive is a top-up of five dollars per tonne from the government, which means that it will increase the final payment to $6.12 per tonne.
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