Prolonged drought conditions linked to the El Niño phenomenon have adversely affected the 2024 sugar cane crop production in Fiji, leading the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) to announce potential difficulties in fulfilling one of its shipment commitments.
The FSC had set a target to ship approximately 84,000 tonnes of sugar, which includes a shipment to the United States and two shipments to a Korean refiner. According to FSC CEO Bhan Pratap Singh, they also pledged to supply around 35,000 tonnes of sugar to local and regional markets.
However, Singh noted that the fourth shipment appears unattainable, with expectations for sugar volume revised from an initial 153,021 tonnes to 121,272 tonnes. Their earlier forecast in November 2023 had predicted cane production at 1.51 million tonnes for 2024, but due to ongoing drought conditions, this projection has now been adjusted to 1.30 million tonnes as of August 2024.
The drought is not only affecting the 2024 crop but also raises concerns for the 2025 season, as the poor planting during the critical months from March to July has led to the inadequate establishment of harvested ratoon crops. Despite potential rainfall in the coming months, the possibility of late planting and subsequent lower productivity remains a significant worry.
Singh mentioned that the FSC is actively monitoring the situation and is committed to supporting farmers through these challenging conditions. They are exploring various strategies to mitigate the impact of such droughts on future crop cycles.
The FSC reported substantial decreases in rainfall from October to December of the previous year, with the Lautoka mill experiencing an 82 percent drop, Rarawai mill facing an 87 percent reduction, and Labasa mill recording a 59 percent decline. Consequently, these significant reductions in rainfall led to a 20 percent decline in crop output at mills on Viti Levu and a 4 percent drop at the Labasa mill.
As of August 12, 2024, the Lautoka mill processed 208,768 tonnes of cane to produce 16,066 tonnes of sugar; Rarawai mill crushed 153,564 tonnes of cane to yield 13,677 tonnes of sugar; and Labasa mill handled 239,388 tonnes of cane, resulting in 23,796 tonnes of sugar produced.