Felix Chaudhary
20 May, 2021, 11:30 am
Sugar cane Cane tipped over for the 2019 crushing at Labasa Mill. Picture: FT FILE/SERAFINA SILAITOGA
Crushing at the Fiji Sugar Corporation’s Lautoka and Ba mills will be pushed back because of the risks associated with bringing in labourers from outside containment areas, says Ministry of Sugar permanent secretary Yogesh Karan.
He said in light of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, discussions had been held with industry stakeholders to also move the start of crush date for the Labasa mill forward.
“People’s lives are more important than rushing to open crushing,” he said.
“We are trying to handle two very key issues –– one is the safety, security and health of our people and the other is to ensure people are able to survive and have the basic necessities they need.”
Fred Wesley
Image: THE FIJI TIMES
Bula
Tonight, the permanent secretary for Health and Medical Services Dr James Fong announced that after another 2974 tests, we have recorded 11 new positive cases.
The first six are related to the Vunimono/Nadali cluster and were in home isolation. The next five are household contacts of a previous case. They have been in a quarantine facility in Nausori, and tested negative for their entry swabs while being admitted to the facility, but now have tested positive for their second swabs in quarantine.
He said, three previously infected patients have recovered, which means there are currently 57 active cases in home isolation or quarantine facilities. You can read about this on the front page.
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17 April, 2021, 1:00 am
Sugarcane farmers at a meeting with NFP leader Prof
Biman Prasad on Thursday at Dramasi, Tavua.
Picture: ANISH CHAND
A GROUP of farmers in Tavua say they will not harvest their cane if they don’t receive a $20 per tonne fourth cane payment in May.
The growers met National Federation Party leader Professor Biman Prasad at Dramasi, Tavua, on Thursday last week and collectively agreed not to harvest as a last resort.
Speaking on behalf of the farmers, Narendra Reddy said growers were “living the life of a poor person” and wanted to be heard.
“There are farmers here who have no money to prepare for the 2021 crushing season,” he said.
15 April, 2021, 4:30 am
National Farmers Union general secretary Mahendra Chaudhry and president Surendra Lal at the Labasa branch annual general meeting.
Picture: SERAFINA SILAITOGA/FILE
NATIONAL Farmers Union general secretary Mahendra Chaudhry claims the Fiji Sugar Corporation is exploiting farmers by taking grants provided under the cane replanting scheme.
“Land preparation for replanting under this scheme is now undertaken by FSC using its own tractors and equipment,” he said in a letter to FSC chief executive officer Bhan Pratap Singh last week.
“In turn, it (FSC) collects the grant which should actually be paid to the cane farmers who are able to use their own equipment to prepare the land for replanting on their farms.”