The Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC) has issued new charges for cartage of sugar cane from Rakiraki to Ba.
FCCC chief executive officer Joel Abraham told lorry drivers and owners in Rakiraki on Monday night that they determined the authorised price within four days after consulting the parties involved, which included Fiji Sugar Corporation.
Lorry owners in Naseyani-Draunivi area can charge $26.33 per tonne of cane for cartage while those taking cane from the Draunivi-Wairuku bridge area can charge $29.79 per tonne.
Those between Wairuku bridge-Dama can charge $33.95 per tonne for cartage.
“This authorisation is maximum, and you cannot ask for more,” said Mr Abraham.
“If you ask for more, you will be breaking the law on overcharging that we have. If you charge anything above the authorised price, we will call you in, do an interview and charge you.
“It will be a criminal charge where you can be fined or be sent to jail.
“I am not trying to scare anyone but just telling you that this is the law and if you break the law, that will be the punishment.”
All lorry drivers and owners present at the meeting accepted the new price determination by FCCC.
Meanwhile, more than 200 lorry operators from Ba to Rakiraki are expected to benefit from the new cane transfer allowance.
Fiji Cane Lorry Operators Association Rarawai president Atish Kumar said their members were very pleased with the announcement because they were very worried about the rising cost of fuel.
“I think it’s really good that this new rate is coming into effect during the new crushing season,” he said.
“A lot of the cane lorry operators were very worried about the fuel prices and we were thinking where we will get the extra cost from to pay for our fuel.
“The rate is welcomed because it brings relief not only to the lorry drivers and lorry owners but also to the sugar cane farmer.
“They don’t have to bear the extra cost.”
He said while the rate for each stage from Rakiraki to Rarawai sugar mill was widely received, operators were now looking forward to the rate for operators transporting cane from Rarawai to the Lautoka sugar mill.
“There is an expectation to deliver about 100,000 tonnes of cane to the Lautoka sugar mill and a lot of that cane will come from Ba, Tavua and Rakiraki.
“So we are still awaiting the cane transfer allowance and hopefully we can come up with something that the operators will also be happy with.”
Mr Kumar said drivers transporting cane from Stage 1 will receive $26.33 per tonne while those transferring cane from Stage 2 will receive $29.79 per tonne.
He said those transporting cane from the old Penang sugar mill to Rarawai sugar mill would be paid $33.95 for each tonne they carry.
(Additional reporting by Repeka Nasiko)
