Suva : Sugarcane growers in Fiji will now be formally recognised each season through the Prime Minister’s Sugar Cane Farmers Awards, an initiative launched to celebrate both long-serving and emerging farmers in the industry, reports The Fiji Times.
Launching the awards in Lautoka this week, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka commended the dedication of around 10,200 active farmers across the country. He said the new awards revive a proud tradition from the 1980s and 1990s, when similar events sponsored by commercial banks were key highlights of Fiji’s agricultural calendar.
“This award restores a tradition that once celebrated the backbone of our agricultural sector,” he said. “Just like the Prime Minister’s Exporter of the Year Award, this initiative aims to build national pride, recognition, and excellence within our cane farming communities. I invite our partners and financial institutions to join us once again in honouring those who sustain this vital industry.”
Sugar Cane Growers Council CEO Vimlesh Dutt welcomed the move, saying the awards would help motivate farmers and retain interest in the sector. “It is encouraging to see long-serving farmers being recognised, and it also serves as an incentive for new entrants to take up sugarcane farming,” he said. “We are delighted that the awards have been revived and look forward to supporting the organisers.”
Entries for the 2025 awards will open on October 20 and close on January 31, 2026. The award ceremony is set to take place in May 2026.
