SUVA (Pacnews) — The Asian Development Bank says it will study means to revive Fiji’s ailing sugar industry.
The study is part of the bank’s technical assistance program.
Fiji Sugar Corp. has threatened to close down two sugar mills, citing financial problems as the reason. However, after reviewing its financial position last week FSC announced that it will buy out all cane this year.
The government is a major shareholder in FSC and turned to the Asian Development Bank for assistance. Public Enterprise Secretary Niko Bulai said the ADB team will review the entire industry instead of focusing only on the sugar mills.
ADB officials will also hold talks with stakeholders to review their respective operations.
Bulai said a restructure of Fiji Sugar Corp. may not be the real issue as other inter-related issues need to be addressed.
Meanwhile, one of Fiji’s largest sugar organizations has called for the appointment of an independent commission to handle land issues.
The call by the Fiji Cane Growers Council follows a move in Parliament by the Qarase government to transfer state lands to the Native Land Trust Board.
The Council fears that members of a parliamentary committee handling the transfer bills will be driven by their political affiliations.
