The government has provided almost $300 million in direct support to cane farmers over the past seven years.

Prime Minister and Minister for Sugar Industry Voreqe Bainimarama says the government is also providing cane planting grant in an effort to increase quality sugarcane supplied to the mills.

The Minister for Sugar Industry says they have outlined some of the assistance that will be provided to cane farmers this crushing season.

“Cane growing is the only agricultural sector to which we guarantee a price per ton, and that relief comes on top of the cane planting grant, the building of new cane access roads, the subsidization of fertilizer and weedicide, the buying of new trucks, the assistance we grant new farmers, and our commitment to accelerating mechanization, will all which are fully funded this year”.

Bainimarama adds they are also committed to delivering their promise to cane farmers of paying $85 per tonne.

“We promised cane growers a guaranteed price per tonne of 85 dollars for three full seasons. That promise will be delivered. The first three payments of the third season will be paid at $70 per tonne, but in the fourth and final wash-up payment, we’ll make up the full amount of $85 per tonne, as we always do”.

The Ministry of Sugar Industry was allocated $53.6 million in the 2020-2021 budget, a decrease of $16.8m from the previous allocation.