SUGAR has been a cornerstone of Fiji’s economy and society for more than a century, evolving from early trial plantings in the 1860s into a major export industry.
But as tourism has come to dominate the national economy, the sector has slipped into the shadows, even as many farmers continue to argue that agriculture still has a vital place in Fiji’s future.
That tension is now playing out at the start of the 2026 crushing season, which was due to begin on Wednesday at the Lautoka, Ba and Labasa mills. Still, it has been thrown into disarray by a double dispute involving mill workers and cane farmers.
Local media reports say National Union of Workers members are locked in a standoff with the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) over seasonal contract terms and shift rosters, while farmers have launched a separate boycott over cane prices.
At the Labasa Mill, FBC reported that uncertainty marked the first day of crushing after union workers were allegedly denied entry.
The broadcaster said, “Workers reported for duty after being instructed by their department heads to return to work but were stopped at the mill gate by Human Resources.”
The Fiji Times also reported little to no activity at the three mills, saying that in Labasa there were “only one to three cane lorries at the mill, with no crushing activity underway.”
The FSC has rejected claims that rostered staff were locked out.
In a statement, it said: “No rostered employee has been denied entry to any of FSC’s three mills, and the mill gates remain open for employees reporting for their assigned shifts.”
The farmers’ row with the government centres on the cane price.
The 2026-2027 Budget held the guaranteed price at $FJD85 per tonne, but growers are demanding $FJ110 per tonne to offset inflation and higher fuel costs.
A farmer, Jasveer Lal, said “We want justice. We need $FJD 110. We won’t give a single [sugarcane] stick to the FSC and government.”
Opposition MP Viam Pillay said the boycott was hurting the very people it claimed to defend.
“This nonsense needs to stop,” he said, adding: “FSC management has been incompetent for years, and the government has dragged its feet for too long. But two wrongs do not make a right.”
He said the industry could not afford political brinkmanship.
“We are killing our own future with this short-sighted thinking,” he said, warning that farmers and workers alike will pay the price if the standoff drags on.
