Miller stands by payment deduction

Listen to this article:

Fiji Sugar Corporation CEO Graham Clark (right) explains improvements made to the Lautoka mill to Waterways Minister Dr Mahendra Reddy yesterday. Picture REINAL CHAND
Fiji Sugar Corporation CEO Graham Clark (right). Picture: FT FILE/REINAL CHAND

It is not clear whether cane farmers will be refunded the 67 cents per tonne deduction made under “Certified Deduction” in the fourth cane payment, paid out last month.

Fiji Sugar Corporation CEO Graham Clark did not comment on the refund issue when he responded to questions sent by this newspaper.

Instead, he referred this newspaper to an earlier statement issued by FSC last week where the miller outlined the purpose of the certified deduction.

In the statement, FSC said the 67 cents “Certified Deduction” covered two payments where 50 cents was for farmers’ contribution to the operations of the Sugar Research Institute of Fiji.

The additional 17 cents was for sugar cost adjustment.

Farmers, however, have called on FSC to refund the 67 cents because of the economic challenges brought about by COVID-19.

They said the deductions were “unfair”.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) said it was disappointed with FSC’s stand on this issue.

NFU president Surendra Lal argued that farmers should not have to bear the certified deduction cost.

“For as long as we know, this deduction is made prior to distribution of payments between the FSC and the farmers,” he said.

“We do know that this certified deduction is an industrial cost and is under the Master Award and Tribunal but this cost should be made from the proceeds of the sugar sold overseas.

“After this is made, then farmers and FSC share their 70/30 distribution, out of which farmers are paid.

Array
(
    [post_type] => post
    [post_status] => publish
    [orderby] => date
    [order] => DESC
    [update_post_term_cache] => 
    [update_post_meta_cache] => 
    [cache_results] => 
    [category__in] => 1
    [posts_per_page] => 4
    [offset] => 0
    [no_found_rows] => 1
    [date_query] => Array
        (
            [0] => Array
                (
                    [after] => Array
                        (
                            [year] => 2023
                            [month] => 12
                            [day] => 29
                        )

                    [inclusive] => 1
                )

        )

)

No Posts found for specific category