The independent member of parliament, Semi Koroilavesau, urged the government to stop politicizing the sugar industry, citing that this had been the cause of the deterioration of the Fiji Sugar Corporation.
Further deterioration would have implications for the other stakeholders associated with it, according to Koroilavesau.
Drawing attention to the need for fast intervention, Koroilavesau urges the government to undertake a lot of reforms in the sugar sector. In addition, he says there is an immediate call for urging cane farmers to diversify their activities. In his idea, this might be realized by shifting towards alternative farming practices like farming animals and cropping. This will achieve the dual purposes of increasing agricultural exports and enhancing food security at the local level.
Koroilavesau calls for more support toward the agricultural sector and especially the farmers, who have done a great deal in commodity production. He believes that with more support, issues regarding food safety and security will be catered for concerning both the urban and rural communities of Fiji.
In the statement, he appeals to the coalition government to refocus on revitalizing resource-based sectors, adding that this is one of the integral steps toward improving people’s lives and hence their standard of living in Fiji.
