[Photo: File]
The Sugar Cane Growers Fund is hoping the 2026/2027 National Budget will provide solutions to long-standing agricultural lease renewal issues.
Chief Executive Raj Sharma says while government support for growers remains important, securing land tenure is crucial for the future of the sugar industry.
He says farmers need certainty over their land to continue investing in sugarcane production and maintaining their operations.
Sharma says the industry expects existing assistance programmes, including the guaranteed cane price, fertilizer subsidies and cane planting grants, to continue in the new budget.
However, he stresses that lease renewal remains a priority issue that requires attention.
“We are also expecting that within the sugar industry, there may be some plans on the diversification, but most important, we are expecting that lease renewal issues are taken care of in this budget.”
Sharma says they are optimistic that the upcoming budget will contain measures aimed at supporting growers and strengthening the agricultural sector.
“Other sectors that we look at, I think more to the non-sugar, the programs to continue in for the rice industry and certain incentives and implements such as mobile dryers, if that could be catered, we have put a submission through Ministry of Agriculture, drainage works and how during these difficult times, the farmers could be supported. Likewise, for other crops, like you talk about dalo, talk about cassava, those sort of support should also entice the farmers to create a market.”
The 2026/2027 National Budget will be announced tomorrow.
