Leader of the Fiji Labour Party and General Secretary of the National Farmers Union, Mahendra Chaudhry says landowners should be encouraged to take up cane farming on a bigger scale to boost cane production.

Chaudhry highlighted this while addressing the cane growers at the Union’s General Body Meeting in Labasa yesterday. 

He says this shift is inevitable going into the future as large numbers of tenant farmers opt out of cane farming faced with uncertainties over land leases and unaffordable rent and premium levies.

Chaudhry says the Fiji Sugar Corporation statistics show that close to 5 thousand active growers have left the industry since 2006. 

He says over 1,700 leases are due to expire in the next 7 years, which includes 1,113 in the West and 631 in the North. 

Former Prime Minister says problems for growers had reached critical proportions, with uncertainties over land tenure, soaring land rents, and premium demands as the major issues confronting them.  

He says the government is coming under increasing pressure from landowners calling for the Agricultural Landlord and Tenants Act to be scrapped. 

Chaudhry says the Union warns that without the security of tenure provided under ALTA, the entire agricultural sector is put at great risk. 

He says investment in agriculture will be drastically affected.

Chaudhry says the amounts demanded as premiums for new leases or renewals are excessive. 

He adds the recently introduced partial payment assistance scheme by the government provides some relief, but it is, however, not adequate because of the large sums demanded. 

Chaudhry says the issue of premiums itself needs to be reviewed. 

He says the future looks uncertain with all industry statistics showing a sharp decline since 2006 as per the FSC report.

Chaudhry adds that political interference has led to a crisis of confidence in the industry, and farmers are feeling marginalized and neglected.