Sugar Minister Charan Jeath Singh expresses strong optimism regarding the industry’s resurgence.

However, he believes this revival is contingent on providing timely assistance to farmers and enhancing the performance of all mills.

Speaking on FBC TV’s current affairs program, Saqamoli Matters, last night, Singh revealed that he has held over 50 meetings with sugarcane farmers across the country in the past 10 months.

These meetings he adds aimed to comprehend the challenges faced by farmers and the reasons behind their desire to leave the farms.

“Firstly the price of sugar was not good. It wasn’t giving them encouragement to come on board. Number two was that there were a lot of water loggings in the farms, whereby salt water and normal water doesn’t come out of the farm and affected farmers to go and plant more sugarcane.”

Singh has gained a better understanding of the issues, with farmers making three major complaints.

He also mentioned plans to clear waterlogged drains on the farms and address concerns about timely repairs to cane access roads, which affect transportation to the mills.