Fijileaks
  • Home
  • Archive Home
  • In-depth Analysis
    • BOI Report into George Speight and others beatings
  • Documents
  • Opinion
  • CRC Submissions
  • Features
  • Archive

POLITICAL WEDDING BELL YET TO CHIME: The Fiji Labour Party and People's Democratic Party political wedding that was to be announced on 30 September has hit a snag as some PDP 'wedding guests' unhappy!

16/10/2017

3 Comments

 
Picture
National Farmers Union: Actual cane price no longer viable for farmers

Cane farmers will not be able to survive on a cane price of $72.85 per tonne, says NFU general secretary Mahendra Chaudhry.

He was commenting on the final cane price of $72.85 for the 2016 season determined by the Sugar Industry Tribunal.

“Farmers must understand that the total cane payment of $82 per tonne is the result of a top up of $9.15 per tonne by the government.

“It is coming close to general elections and can be construed as a sweetner in return for their votes,” said Mr Chaudhry.

That aside, the stark reality is that the actual price is far short of the $100 per tonne that cane farmers have been demanding to remain financially viable,” he said.

In fact, farmers are unhappy that deductions have been made from the top up payment for fertilizer, loan repayments, land rent and harvesting expenses.

“This should not have been done as the top up is a grant and should be paid without industry related deductions,” Mr Chaudhry said.

The future looks grim considering the declining crop size and the harvesting, transportation and milling problems facing the industry as a whole, not to mention the financial woes of the Fiji Sugar Corporation.

“A totally new approach is warranted to rehabilitate the industry and this can only be achieved through genuine Tripartite involvement,” Mr Chaudhry said.

NFU: FSC's floundering finances

National Farmers Union has expressed strong concerns about Fiji Sugar Corporation’s financial position following its recent announcement of a major reduction in crop size for the 2017 season.

“The current crop is now estimated at 1.7m tonnes. This is a substantial drop from the 2.046 million tonnes announced at the beginning of the year. It translates into a sugar shortfall of about 35,000 tonnes which is virtually one shipment of sugar,” said NFU general secretary Mahendra Chaudhry.

“This is bad news for the industry as well as the economy and is likely to have an impact on the Reserve Bank’s growth figures for the year necessitating a downward revision,” he said.

Mr Chaudhry said NFU was worried because while FSC’s cash flow is drastically affected, despite this it has created at least half a dozen new top managerial positions at high salary levels.

We believe FSC is in dire financial straits. It owes $15m to the South Pacific Fertiliser Company. This is money it has already deducted from growers but has not passed on to SPFL as it should. It has also defaulted on its $5 million industry contribution to the Sugar Research Institute of Fiji.

“There is a disturbing lack of transparency in the operations of the Corporation. FSC’s annual general meeting is long overdue. It has not published its financial accounts for 2016 and the 2017 report is now due. Two years accounts are now due,” Mr Chaudhry said.

FSC must reveal the salaries of all its top executive staff. How much are they being paid? Our information is that their salaries, perks and allowances range from $600,000 at the top to $250,000 at the lower end.

The new positions are: Chief Operating Officer, Chief Corporate Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Communications Officer. In addition, there is a General Manager Engineering Services, General Manager Mill Operations, Corporate Officer Supply Chain and Logistics.

FSC is also looking at creating the post of a Chief Agricultural Officer and three District Agricultural Officers.

“Comparatively speaking, there is not much difference between the old Abdul Khan order and the new order under Chief Executive Officer Graham Clark," said Mr Chaudhry.

3 Comments
Rajend Naidu
16/10/2017 09:16:31 pm

From as far back as I can remember it was said and taught in primary school general knowledge class that sugar was the backbone of the Fiji economy. Today the backbone of the cane farmers is buggered in coup afflicted Fiji. The predicament of the cane farmers of Fiji is sad considering the prosperity of the country is in good part built on the back of the cane farmers and the multiplyer effect of cane revenue.

Reply
Bahuki
17/10/2017 01:27:16 am

If they can stop politicizing the floundering industry that was once the backbone of the country, then this little coalition between PDP and FLP might work out.

Reply
Ratu
18/10/2017 05:57:56 pm

the $9.15 a ton government subsidy is effectively a taxpayer subsidy to sugar farmers. Effectively it is a tax on every tax payer in Fiji. We now learn at $72.85 a ton and inspite of the $9.15 top up that only a price of $100 a ton will provide a living return to farmers. How much more in taxpayers subsidy will be needed to plug the shortfall? What will need to be sacrificed? If I were to choose between $9 million a year Govt subsidy for an annual golf tournament at Natadola and assistance to cane farmers I am sure cane farmers are more deserving

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    editor@fijileaks.com

    ARCHIVES

    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    Picture
    Picture