[Photo: FILE]

The Sugarcane Growers Council has submitted to the Sugar Industry Tribunal to reopen the railway system for cane delivery.

This was confirmed yesterday by Tribunal Registrar Timothy Brown to farmers during consultations with members of the Special Committee on the Sugar Industry in Ba.

The clarification was provided as the majority of farmers have been calling for the reinstatement of the railway system, stating it is a much cheaper way of transporting cane to the mills.

Jayant Kumar, a farmer from the Rarawai sector, says manual harvesters will not be able to deliver their cane to the mills this year.

“Manual farmers will not be able to harvest cane this year. Most of the farmers. The railway system is the cheapest mode of transport. And FSC has closed the Tavua railway system. From Tavua, they have to pay $20 or $25 for the lorry. That will be another burden for the farmers.”

Sugar Industry Tribunal Registrar Timothy Brown informed the farmers that the SCGC has made the submission, and a decision is yet to be made on reopening the tramline.

“Just like any court, I can’t tell the Tribunal to make the decision. That is the court. I can’t do anything until the judge decides left or right. I’ve made that submission, and I’m really sorry. I apologise, I can’t say anything else.”

Meanwhile, Fiji Sugar Corporation Chief Executive Bhan Pratap Singh reminded the farmers that FSC is paying the difference in the cost of cane delivery to the farmers.

“For the time being, we agreed; actually, we agreed in that meeting that FSC will pay 100% conversion for all those growers who will be cutting through Lorries. So we will pay 100% conversion, and we will continue to pay 100% conversion until a decision is made either to revert to rail or to continue with Lorries.”

The farmers believe that if the rail system reopens, more growers will be able to harvest their produce, which will increase sugar production.