By SHALENDRA PRASAD

The Nadi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) strongly supports the views expressed by Ba’s leading sugarcane farmer and former Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) board member Arvind Singh who has called on the industry’s movers and shakers to implement cost-cutting measures to revive the ailing industry.

Dr Ram Raju

NCCI president Dr Ram Raju says the sugar industry which was once known as the backbone of Fiji’s economy is today in a deplorable state because of years of neglect and mismanagement.

“We fully agree with what Mr Arvind Singh has highlighted in the media and the time to take action is now,” Dr Raju said.

He said many well-established business houses and property landlords have all emerged out of the sugar industry during its heyday but it is sad how things have turned out for the past 20-years.

“There is no doubt that sugar prices keep dwindling and are very unstable in the world market due to oversupply and declining demand but this does not mean our industry can not be returned back to profitability,” Dr Raju added.

Dr Raju said it would be more efficient to have one well-maintained state-of-the-art sugar mill in Viti Levu and one in Vanua Levu.

“Two modern mills which are operated in a cost-effective and efficient manner with minimal costs should be enough for a small country like Fiji which harvest just around a million tonnes of sugarcane with 10,500 active cane farmers,” Dr Raju said.

“It would be nice to think commercially and do away with small mismanaged farms by combining resources and looking at creating bigger and better farms as well.”

He says there is a lot of wastage of resources and funds and nobody seems to be caring enough to put the industry back on track.

“Short-term land leases and labour shortages could also be addressed with modern and cost-effective solutions as long as there is a will to do the right thing.”

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• Shalendra Prasad is a freelance photojournalist based in Nadi, Fiji