Page 19 - IB MAR 2017

Industry

n From PAGE 18 These 3000 cane-cutters
earn about $173 each, fort-
On May 4 2016 Permanent Secretary nightly.
for Sugar Yogesh Karan said: “You can At the time of closure of
be assured, we are looking at the best the mill, there were 300 em-
possible outcome for the Penang mill. ployees at the mill, and with
Whether it’s going to be a new mill or an average of four in each
whether we fix this old mill.” family, 1200 people directly
On July 3 of the same year Minister depended on the mill.
for Sugar Frank Bainimarama: “Fixing “The closure is definitely
the Penang mill to the same standard as not helping us. If it’s doing
before does not set up our industry for something it is separating
long-term gains and prosperity. We are workers form their wives and
taking an approach that rebuilds and children,” said an employee
upgrades the Penang mill to produce Structure and machinery rusting away. Photo: Anish Chand who has been sent to another
sugar that meets the requirements of based on an average of $70 per tonne mill and spoke anonymously.
global buyers, making our sugarcane of cane. “I have kids who go to primary school
industry more competitive - and that is “That’s a lot of money but where are and my wife is left alone in Rakiraki
going to take some time.” these farmers losing their hard earned to look after them while I work out of
On July 23 Minister for Public Enter- money and not making any sort of profit district to earn the same money I was
prise Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said: “We that is forcing them to abandon farm- earning at Penang,” he added.
are looking at several options currently ing,” said the farmer. FSC has re-deployed about 120 work-
that includes working with a team from Ra now 1800 farmers, and with an ers to other mills without offering any
India and we will make an announce- average family of four, 7200 lives re- additional benefits.
ment in three months’ time.” volve around the Penang mill at grass- “At first they gave $40 per day as al-
On January 12 this year Permanent root level. lowance then that went down to $20. We
Secretary for Sugar Yogesh Karan spoke There are about 3000 cane-cutters em- are left to pay rent and buy our own food
of a new perspective. ployed in Rakiraki, and with an average in this new place. Tell me how much I will
“We have to look at the total perspec- of four in each family, 12000 people’s save here and how much I will send back
tive of putting money in that mill. Cane daily sustenance revolves around the to my family?” the employes asked.
production here has dropped by 50 per mill. q achandftv@gmail.com
cent. If we fix Penang we have four mills
but cane production remains low.
“So it means running an engine where
the feed is low. Until we increase produc-
tion, we can’t have four mills running
at full capacity.” ... the ‘
Rakiraki once had 2400 registered
cane growers. Currently there are 1800.
In 2015, the Penang mill crushed
169,000 tonnes of cane, producing closure
18,108 tonnes of sugar.
Compare this to 2006, when the mill is ... not
crushed 289,000 tonnes of cane and
produced about 30,000 tonnes of sugar. helping
So what Karan says about “running
an engine where the feed is low” is us. It ... is
correct.
But who should be blamed for not be- separating
ing able to retain farmers on their fields
and assist them to increase production? workers
“Each year we have announcements
of record cane price, grants and as- from their
sistance for farmers. That all looks
good, but where is the system failing. wives and
Someone has to look into it and give
us an answer,” said a grower, speaking children ...
anonymously.
“When it comes to the individual
farmer whether he wants to grow cane ‘
or not there is no politics involved. It is
his decision alone,” he added.
A farmer harvesting 200 tonnes of
cane will have a gross income of $14000
Islands Business, March 2017 19