PS for Sugar is right: NFP Leader
By Shanal Sivan. Fiji One News, Tuesday 3 January, 2017
The NFP is putting politics aside and wants to work with Government to improve the performance of the Sugar industry.
The Permanent secretary for Sugar Yogesh Karan had said through the media last week that our sugar industry needs to be revived with proper consultation and that farmers need to be included in the dialogue concerning the industry.
The National Federation Party says common sense has now prevailed.
“For the first time in the last ten years there seems to have been some very positive statements from the Sugar Ministry and indeed from the Prime Minister’s Permanent Secretary the PS responsible for Sugar Mr Yogesh Karan, it appears that there is now some understanding as to the real issues facing the Sugar Industry.” said Dr. Biman Prasad.
Prasad says 2017 should not be a year to do trials and test new strategies to revive the sugar industry rather make solid decisions to increase performance in the industry.
“I think Mr Karan is right that we need to concentrate in the farmers we need to bring confidence back into the farmers of this country, and this is why the NFp in the last budget debate moved the motion that for the next 3 years we should allocate $50m a year for the next three years and provide a guaranteed price of roughly about $90 per tonne, so that we can bring back the confidence we can ensure that farmers have some income left after taking away the cost and that they have an incentive to remain Sugar Cane Farmers.”
The PS for Sugar Yogesh Karan told Fiji One News he is due to visit the farmers in the Western Division.
Karan wished not to comment any further to comments made by the opposition party NFP.
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