Growers want suitable harvesters to hilly areas

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FSC chief operations officer Navin Chandra and assistant Minister for Sugar George Vegnathan help a farmer in Solove, Macuata. Picture SERAFINA SILAITOGA

LEADERS of the sugar industry need to introduce suitable harvesters to harvest farms on hilly areas.

This was an issue raised by canefarmers in the North during this week’s National Sugar Industry Policy consultation held in various cane farming areas in Macuata.

Vunimoli farmer Kamal Kumar said while farmers on flatland areas had the privilege of using mechanical harvesters, those on hilly areas still struggled to find labourers to cut their cane.

“The mechanical harvesters can’t go to the hillside to cut cane, so we have to look for labourers and because we face shortage of labourers, the FSC or Government will have to introduce some kind of machines or technology to help us harvest the cane on hilly areas,” he said.

“In most cases, farmers using mechanical harvesters usually harvest their cane first and this issue of assisting farmers on hilly land needs to be looked into.”

FSC chief executive officer Graham Clark agreed this would be looked into.

He said similar concerns had been raised in the consultations held around the country.

Another farmer, Parma Nand, asked during the consultation in Vunimoli to have their farm boundaries clarified with the younger generation.

“Sometimes the children don’t know the boundaries of their parents’ farm and the iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB) should step in and help farmers for them to know their boundaries.

TLTB assistant manager North Nemani Tamani told the farmers that they would always assist.

“You just have to come and see us at our office or let us know and we will attend to that.”

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