Suva : A farmer from Votua Village in Ba has appealed to the Ministry of Sugar and the Lands Department to help revive sugarcane cultivation on 44 acres of state land in Karavi, reports FBC News.
Speaking at a town hall meeting in Ba, Village Secretary Salesitino Caucau said their lease application was approved in 2022, but they have been unable to plant cane after the Sugar Research Institute declared the land too salty for cultivation.
Caucau said the community has already spent more than $50,000 to secure the land and is now seeking government support to improve drainage, road access, and to provide temporary rent relief while they await approval to begin planting.
Permanent Secretary for Sugar, Dr. Vinesh Kumar, acknowledged the issue, saying the ministry is aware that high salinity has prevented planting on the land. He assured that the ministry’s research team is prepared to assist.
“We can request sugar researchers to conduct trials on a small section of the land—perhaps half an acre or one acre—to test if other cane varieties can grow there,” Dr. Kumar said.
He added that the ministry would work closely with farmers to explore ways to improve soil quality and enhance drainage systems to make the land fit for sugarcane cultivation.
