Ritika Pratap 
Permanent Secretary Dr. Vinesh Kumar meeting with farmers [Photo: Supplied]
The Ministry of Sugar Industry is taking urgent steps to address the rise in deliberate cane field fires.
Permanent Secretary Dr. Vinesh Kumar says these measures include increasing patrols, stricter enforcement, and awareness campaigns, all in coordination with the Fiji Sugar Corporation and community policing teams.
He made these comments after Ram Ritesh, a sugarcane farmer from the Malau sector in Rakiraki, shared his recent ordeal of escaping a field fire with his workers.
Ritesh recounts that he and his team were loading a truck with harvested cane when they suddenly noticed flames erupting on the opposite side of the field.
Fueled by high winds and scorching heat, the fire quickly spread, heading directly toward them.
Ritesh says they didn’t even have time to think, driving the truck in the opposite direction through uneven terrain.
They managed to escape through the thick smoke, parked the truck in a small clearing, and fled.
Ritesh confirms they were lucky to escape unharmed.
The Sugar PS emphasized that these fires are not just about crop loss; they’re about people’s lives and safety.
The Ministry is urging the public to report suspicious activity and reminds arsonists that cane burning is a serious criminal offense.
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