Minister for Sugar Industry, Charan Jeath Singh says Fiji is keen to learn from Australia’s sugar industry, especially in areas of power co-generation, ethanol production and production of refined sugar.
During a meeting with Australian Chargé d’ Affaires, Stuart Watts, Singh was briefed on how Australia has progressed, promoted reforms and restructure of its sugar industry.
Singh emphasised on sharing of expertise trainings and schemes to establish best practices and for the sugar industry to prosper.
He said the key challenges of Fiji’s sugar industry are climate change and its impact, shortage of labor, ageing growers and lack of interest to cane farming by the youth.
Watts highlighted the long-term economic, social, and environmental sustainability of the Australian sugar industry by undertaking structural change, rationalisation and exploring diversification in the sugar market.
Singh also congratulated Commissioner Watts on his diplomatic assignment to Fiji and commended Australia’s ongoing bilateral cooperation.
He added that Fiji is looking forward to work with Australia, to develop learnings and better approaches of improving the sugar sector of Fiji.
