A special parliamentary committee on sugar will be formed during the August sitting of Parliament, the government announced this week, reports The Fiji Times.
Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad, said the committee will be chaired by the Prime Minister and include key leaders such as the Deputy Prime Ministers, Minister for Sugar, Leader of the Opposition, and a representative from the G9.
Professor Prasad reiterated the government’s continued support for the sugar industry, noting that nearly 200,000 people directly or indirectly rely on it for their livelihoods.
“When we came into government, we ensured a sugar price of $91.38 per tonne for the 2022 season,” he said. “In 2023, we delivered the highest cane price ever—$105.08 per tonne—$20 more than the guaranteed price of $85. For 2024, we are again committed to offering a competitive price.”
He added that $72 million in total funding has been allocated to support the sector. This includes subsidies for fertilizer and weedicides, price support, cartage assistance, cane access roads, and farm mechanisation.
However, Professor Prasad stressed that boosting cane profitability alone is not enough to revive the industry, which has suffered over the past two decades.
“Our sugar industry has been hit not just by natural disasters but also by excessive control and interference from the previous regime,” he said. “These actions continue to hamper progress and are holding back efforts to increase sugarcane production.”
