A significant incident in Lautoka has drawn attention as a miscommunication between a sardar, or supervisor, and a local sugarcane farm owner resulted in the burning of over 100 tonnes of sugarcane. Rita Roy, speaking on behalf of her mother Prabha Wati, expressed her grievances regarding this situation during an interview in Drasa.
According to Ms. Roy, the supervisor instructed her mother to burn the sugarcane crop, assuring her that harvesting would follow the next day. Following this direction, they enlisted help from neighbors to safely carry out the task, but once the sugarcane was ignited, the sardar allegedly reversed his earlier instructions, urging them not to burn the crop.
Ms. Roy noted that the sardar could not make it to their farm due to rainy weather, exacerbating the situation. She also recounted a previous incident last year where a similar miscommunication nearly led to their property being damaged by fire. She indicated frustrations over the lack of timely harvesting, emphasizing that they have repeatedly urged the sardar to address the safety concerns surrounding their house.
In light of the incident, Ms. Roy suggested that they might seek the services of another sardar moving forward. Conversely, the sardar maintained that he had clearly informed them not to proceed with the burning of the cane on the morning of the incident, highlighting the challenges posed by the ongoing rainy season for harvesting activities.
This situation underscores the importance of clear communication in agricultural management, particularly in a vulnerable industry like sugarcane farming. It serves as a reminder for all stakeholders to work collaboratively to avoid misunderstandings that can lead to significant losses.
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