Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says SODELPA MP Inosi Kuridrani lacks knowledge of the sugar industry to make any arguments on the subject.

The PM’s outburst comes during his budget debate response, Kuridrani questioned Bainimarama on whether there were real analysis done to identify problems faced by the industry.

He cited the lack of funding, monitoring, evaluation and poor governance as other factors contributing to the problems.

The Opposition MP Kuridrani had said that as the Minister responsible, Bainimarama lacks analytical qualities, knowledge and commitment to revive the industry.

Coming up with hearsay figures, Kuridrani claimed that the industry is currently producing 45 tonnes per hectare which is only 50 percent of the farm’s potential – a production well below the production breakeven point of 90 tons per hectare.

Not stopping there Kuridrani had included the readjustment of fund distribution, recruitment of more field officers to provide monitoring and evaluation and adjustment of the stabilisation fund of $30 million to establish the trans-loading sites in Seaqaqa, Sigatoka and Rakiraki.

Bainimarama says the statements made clearly shows the inexperience of Kuridrani, adding never in the entire history of the industry did Fiji produce over 65 tonnes per hectare on average.

He says the highest that has been achieved so far is 65 tonnes per hectare in 1979.

The PM also saying as the tonnage started to increase and was on its path for success, the Industry was killed by the doings of Sitiveni Rabuka and his 1987 coup.

Bainimarama says the situation went from bad to worse in 1997  as Rabuka brainwashed the landowners not to renew leases and forcing cane farmers to move out of the cane growing areas after the cane leases expired.

He says only a handful of the 9,631 expired cane leases were renewed.

Bainimarama says the current government convinced landowners to renew cane leases with the establishment of the Committee for Better Utilisation of Land (CBUL) in 2008.

He adds under this program, land rent was raised for landowners to give them at least market rates.

The PM says most of the cane leases have been renewed since then and growers are able to acquire longer term leases for 50 years compared to only 30 years that was given earlier.

Presently in Fiji, less than 30 percent of the cane land is flat land while the rest is undulated or marginal since most of the good arable land has been taken away.

Bainimarama says one can only dream of achieving 90 tonnes per hectare on undulated and marginal land under rain-fed cane planting, adding even large cane growing countries like India have barely achieved the average of 65 tonnes per hectare although they are using irrigated farms, let alone Fiji.

The PM also says the weather has been a challenge and has affected growth of the sugar industry over the years citing 1998, when Fiji recorded the lowest cane production of 36 tonnes per hectare after the major drought and 37 tonnes per hectare was recorded in 2016 after TC Winston destroyed over 50% of the cane crops.

Bainimarama says despite the loss of confidence of new generation and the impact of weather changes, his Ministry has made all efforts through increased subsidies for inputs, grants for cane planting, farm mechanisation, providing guaranteed cane price of $85 per tonne and enticing new farmers to take up sugarcane farming and to help take the cane industry back to the glory days.

He adds these support have significantly reduced cost for cane farmers to put back more profits into the pocket of growers.