Around seventy percent of the cane area in Vanua Levu was affected by Tropical Cyclone Yasa.

Fiji Sugar Corporation outgoing chief executive Graham Clarke says a damage assessment was carried out which will help them determine how best the North farmers can be assisted.¤

Clarke anticipates sugar production in Vanua Levu might be down by thirty percent this year.

“Some not so bad. Some very bad. The initial kind of view as the damage was very significant. As we progressed and got further and further into it, field by field we’ve seen that the damage was perhaps not that bad.”

Clarke says crops are recovering quickly.

“Together with research institutes broadcast and develop strategies for the farmers to follow to get the crops back as quick as we can. So we now have to factor that into our performance for the coming year.”

He adds natural disasters and other economic challenges are out of their hands and all they can do is assist affected farmers.