Labasa Mill

The Sugar Ministry is focusing on reviving the industry, resulting in high expectations for increased productivity from active farmers in the Northern Division.

The Ministry has set a target of 1.2 million tonnes of sugarcane for North Farmers.

Minister Charan Jeath Singh says the Labasa Sugar Mill is currently the best-performing mill in Fiji.

He adds that in the last budget, the government announced that farmers would receive an additional $5 per tonne if they increased production by 1000 tonnes.

Singh says this year’s productivity has increased to 1500 tonnes of cane.

“This means he still gets his $91 or $95 per ton plus we will give $5 tonnes on the additional, which means if he gives 1,500 tonnes, he will give $95 on those plus he will give $2,500 on top of those plus that became his extra incentive, and this will also make other farmers go out and increase production annually so that we can hit our target of 1.2 billion tons in Vanua Levu.”

While the upcoming season will be paying $91.28 per tonne, another main priority is to increase it to $95 a tonne in the near future.

Singh has also assured cane farmers in Vanua Levu that more plans and projects are in place for the sugar industry, including the testing of 25 weedicides.