Opposition MP Viam Pillay has sounded a fresh warning about the fragility of Fiji’s sugar sector, telling Parliament that more than 1,000 sugarcane leases are due to expire by 2030 and must be renewed to prevent further collapse in production and farmer livelihoods. Speaking during the debate on the President’s Address, Pillay called on the government to act urgently to provide lease security and wider support for growers.
“There are more than a thousand sugarcane leases that are expected to expire by 2030. It is vital and in our nation’s interest that these leases be renewed so that there is stability in cane production,” Pillay said, underlining his view that tenure uncertainty will worsen an already troubled industry. He challenged government assertions that the sector is improving, saying production has continued to fall and pointing to what he described as a backlog of 93,000 tonnes of unharvested cane as evidence the system is failing.
Pillay’s figure is higher than estimates from farming groups and the Fiji Sugar Corporation after the 2025 crushing season. In January, the National Farmers Union had put the standover cane at about 85,000 tonnes and pushed for compensation for affected growers, a dispute that highlighted tensions between farmers, the FSC and government on how to deal with lost crops and season cut-offs. Pillay used the unharvested cane numbers to argue that practical measures, not mere reassurances, are needed.
The opposition MP also criticised what he described as a lack of government support for farmers, citing penalties such as the “burnt cane penalty” that he says leave growers shouldering rising costs of production and harvesting while officials enjoy comfort. The government has provided targeted assistance in the past — Sugar Industry Minister Charan Jeath Singh authorised small relief aid last year for five Rakiraki farmers affected by pre-season cane burning — but Pillay said those measures fall far short of what is needed for systemic recovery.
Pillay further criticised the Special Parliamentary Committee on Sugar, which he said has not yet conducted any consultations with farmers or stakeholders. The committee is chaired by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, and Pillay publicly urged the prime minister to update Parliament on why the committee has not held a single consultation, saying growers have been “eagerly waiting” to be heard on the industry’s future.
As of the debate there was no response recorded from the prime minister’s office in the House on the committee’s timetable. If the committee does not convene consultations soon, opposition figures warn, key policy work on lease renewals, compensation frameworks for standover cane and measures to tackle burning and other production threats risk being sidelined until after the 2030 lease cliff.
Pillay’s interventions add to mounting pressure on the government to produce immediate, concrete steps to stabilise the sugar industry — a sector that remains a critical source of rural income in Fiji. With a large cohort of leases set to expire within four years, the coming months may determine whether farmers receive the tenure and support needed to sustain cane production and avoid further losses.
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