Kreetika Kumar 
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad during the 2023–2024 Budget Consultation, including public engagements with sugarcane farmers in Lomawai, Sigatoka. [Photo: Supplied]
Cane access roads are a concern as the majority are in poor condition.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad, highlighted this during the 2023–2024 Budget Consultation, including public engagements with sugarcane farmers in Lomawai, Sigatoka.
Professor Prasad says in the 2023–2024 budget they are focusing on bringing in the Public Works Department, which will work on rural infrastructure.
He adds that they will be working on improving the roads; however, cane access roads will be considered in the next budget.
“For the next budget, we are discussing how much allocation needs to be made for the cane access road. We are also discussing how best we can utilize the money because there has been a lot of wastage. There was no shortage of money, it’s just that the money was not utilized properly and work was not done.”
The Finance Minister says the Ministry staff is aware of the issues with cane access roads; if the road condition is not good, then transporting cane will be an issue.
