The majority of the 30 Mahindra tractors purchased by the former management of the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) in May 2019 are currently underperforming and not in optimal working condition. This assessment was made by Lakshman Jayaraman, FSC’s head of agriculture, during recent consultations with cane growers in Lautoka, which were also attended by Minister for Sugar Charan Jeath Singh.
During the discussions, growers expressed concerns that the current tractor service provider (TSP) scheme from the FSC falls short of their needs and called for an increase in the number of TSPs. They also inquired about the condition of the 30 Mahindra tractors acquired five years ago.
“It has been six years now and they are in need of maintenance. We are unable to operate them at full efficiency,” Jayaraman explained, noting that the FSC established the TSP scheme to support the growers. He further advised, in Hindi, that the growers should not rely on the FSC tractors due to their age, frequent breakdowns, and the inability of drivers to perform necessary maintenance.
Vimal Dutt, CEO of the Sugar Cane Growers Council, reinforced these concerns by highlighting that the Mahindra tractors purchased by the previous government and the FSC came with inferior implements. He remarked, “It was a very good scheme initially because each sector had an allocated driver; however, as the tractors were used, some parts broke down and this led to additional strain on the machinery. Most of the tractors are now in poor condition.”
Jayaraman added that among the 139 TSPs currently operating at the three sugar mills, only 63 are functioning efficiently. “We are gathering information on those that are not performing well, and we are open to bringing in new TSP providers who can effectively fulfill these roles.”