Kreetika Kumar 
Sugarcane farmer
A total of $8.2 million for the historic cane payment for farmers has been sourced from within the current budget allocation.
Finance Minister, Professor Biman Prasad says for the fifth cane payment the farmers will receive 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.
Prasad says the government is putting in an additional $8.2 million to bring the total price to $91.38.
He adds this is a great boost to the farmers’ income, and also gives a signal that the government means business in terms of ensuring that the sugar industry is once again brought back to a production level that will be sustainable.
“The government funds a total of $4.2 million from within the Ministry of Sugar’s current budget, $1 million from the Sugar Cane Stabilization Fund and the rest from other allocations within the Ministry of Sugar, and $4 million from the Head 50, which is also in the 2023–24 financial year budget.”
Prasad says this top-up will allow the industry to become profitable, as well as ensuring that the farmers get the best return.
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