European Union to meet FSC over assistance

By RACHNA LAL

A meeting is expected to take place between the Fiji Sugar Corporation, Ministry of Sugar and European Union in the next few weeks.
Fiji Sugar Corporation executive chairman, Abdul Khan, said the meeting would be held in Fiji with regards to EU’s funding assistance for Fiji’s sugarcane industry.
“Basically we want to establish the assistance that may be provided to the sugar industry,” he said.
Mr Khan said the focus would mainly be looking into the future – 2014 onwards.
The European Union’s assistance is currently limited only for research in the sugar industry.

Global oversupply
Mr Khan said there is currently a global oversupply of sugarcane putting downward pressure on price.
Some concerns have been raised as to why we are focusing on sugar industry when the prices are declining because of the global oversupply.
To this Mr Khan said the sugarcane industry cannot be looked as on a year-on-year basis.
“You need to look at it on a long-term basis,” he said.
He stressed while at this stage he cannot say how long this global oversupply of cane will continue, but investing in the sugarcane industry would mean we are securing the future.
Mr Khan said the African countries, Asian countries and even Brazil are looking at the sugar-cane industry with a long-term approach.