The General Secretary of the National Farmers Union, Mahendra Chaudhry, has voiced his concerns regarding the rights of absentee farmers in response to recent remarks made by Sugar Minister Charan Jeath Singh. Singh has urged these absentee farmers, many of whom reside overseas, to surrender their land leases, claiming that their lack of active farming contributes to low agricultural productivity.
Chaudhry insists that absentee farmers have the same legal rights as other landowners and warns that such demands threaten the security of cane farmers and tenants within the agricultural sector. He has reported that many tenants with valid leases are facing precarious situations where their leases may not be renewed, as notified by the iTaukei Land Trust Board (iTLTB) and the Lands Department. This atmosphere of insecurity, he argues, is detrimental to agricultural growth and stability, particularly under the current Rabuka Coalition government.
Chaudhry’s concerns echo earlier discussions about the broader challenges facing the sugar industry in Fiji, where cane yields have sharply dropped from an average of 100 tons per hectare to about 47 tons. Factors cited for this decline include inadequate support from the Fiji Sugar Corporation and inefficiencies in farming practices.
The conversations surrounding lease renewals and agricultural productivity highlight a pressing need for stakeholder dialogue to foster collaboration among farmers, landowners, and the iTLTB. Such constructive discussions could pave the way for reforms aimed at stabilizing the agricultural landscape, ensuring fair treatment for all involved, and revitalizing Fiji’s sugarcane industry. Despite the challenges, there remains a hopeful outlook that with concerted efforts, the sector can recover and thrive, supporting local farmers and communities.
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