Fiji’s Sugar Minister Charan Jeath Singh has criticized workers at the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) for neglecting their responsibilities to farmers, suggesting they are instead indulging in kava and chicken curry at the farmers’ expense. During a parliamentary discussion last week regarding the FSC’s annual reports from 2020 to 2023, Singh expressed his concern that FSC personnel are failing to support local farmers, unlike in previous years when field officers actively assisted farming operations.
Singh warned FSC employees that this type of behavior will not be tolerated and urged them to focus on their jobs or leave the industry. He also pointed out that the decrease in sugarcane production is partly due to farmers not replanting in a timely manner.
Historically, Fiji has seen a decline in sugarcane yields, falling from 100 tons per hectare to about 47 tons per hectare, while production in other countries has remained stable at around 100 tons per hectare. Singh emphasized the need for improved farming practices and mechanization to boost production, aiming for a target of 75 to 80 tons per hectare.
He also urged farmers to optimize their land use, explaining that many are proud to own large plots but only cultivate a fraction of them effectively. Singh’s message encourages farmers to focus on maximizing yield in smaller areas rather than maintaining excessive land without adequate production.