Opposition Member of Parliament Viam Pillay has urged the government to ensure that sugarcane farmers receive their full dues, saying commitments made to growers must be honoured.
Speaking on behalf of the Opposition, Pillay said the payment schedule issued by the Fiji Sugar Corporation shows that farmers are receiving less than what was promised, Fiji Sun reported.
"You cannot feed a family on a percentage of a promise," he said, adding that growers were assured a guaranteed price they could depend on.
He detailed the payments for the 2025 season, including a delivery payment of $42.85, followed by subsequent instalments of $14.28, $10.91, $6.77 and a final payment of $5.10. This brings the total payout to $79.97 per tonne.
According to Pillay, this falls short of the $85 per tonne guarantee set earlier, leaving a gap of $5.03.
He also pointed out that a higher guaranteed price of $110 per tonne had been promised after the 2022 general election. While farmers received over $100 per tonne between 2022 and 2024, he said this was due to high global sugar prices rather than government support.
Pillay further said that additional payments promised to farmers have not yet been delivered. These include a $3 per tonne bonus for manual harvesting and a $5 per tonne incentive for those increasing production compared to 2024. Farmers with carryover cane are also awaiting payments, he added.
Raising concerns over rising costs and falling sugar prices, he called on the government to step in. He said farmers have already borne high expenses on fuel, fertiliser and labour, and should not face delays in receiving their dues.
Pillay also criticised the corporation for releasing a delayed payment, saying it should not be seen as a major step.
"Farmers are the backbone of the country and deserve the full price promised to them," he said.
Attempts to get a response from Tomasi Tunabuna, Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry, were unsuccessful.