Damage caused by mechanical harvesters on cane farms is resulting in a decline in yield, says Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) Mota/Naloto sector field officer Haroon Ali.
While speaking at the Sugar Research Institute of Fiji (SRIF)-organised information day in Moto, Ba, last week, Mr Ali said cane farms in Fiji were not designed for mechanical harvesters.
“We have brought in harvesters but our farms are not designed for those harvesters which damages the roots and one of the reasons why yield is dropping on farms that are resorting to mechanical harvesters,” he said.
Mr Ali said one of the reasons FSC had brought in farm advisers was to educate and advise farmers who used mechanical harvesters on how to design their fields.
“Farmers who use mechanical harvesters to cut their cane are informed by our farm advisers to re-plant their field and design it to a correct spacing so that mechanical harvesters, lorries can easily go through the rows without damaging the roots of the sugarcane crop.”
He said the previous recommended row spacing of 1.5 metres was now 1.7 metres to accommodate mechanical harvesters.
“Heavy machines used on the farm during the rainy season further damages the roots of the cane plant thus good farm planning and designing of the farm would result in the increase of yield.”