Sugar Cane Growers Fund (SCGF) welcomes the budget announced by Deputy Prime Minister
and Minister for Finance, Hon Professor Biman Prasad last Friday. The Ministry of Sugar and
Multi-Ethnic has been allocated $51.7 million. Mr Raj Sharma, the Chief Executive Officer has
thanked the line Minister Hon Charan Cheath Singh, Permanent Secretary Mr. Yogesh Karan,
and Deputy Prime Minister and Permanent Secretary Mr Shiri Goundar.
He said that recent visits to the farmers by Ministers have provided good insights He has
thanked and commended the Government for some of the new innovative funding for New
Farmers and Lease Premiums of $1m, Special Drainage Funding of $5.5m, Farm Incentive
Program $1m, Manual Harvesting Support Program ($1m) and special Sugar Industry Strategic
Development Plan funding of $0.150m. Other funding includes cage bin, $1m, cane access
roads $2m, and Sugar Cane Development and Farmer Assistance $5m.
In addition, he also thanked the Government for a special allocation of $0.075m that has been
made to form a Sugar Industry Trust – a charitable arm to help the needy and the vulnerable
in the farming community. SCGF has also set aside a similar amount for the course and has a
framework for the trust.
Mr. Sharma said that there are some loan products that may complement this funding such as
for lease premium, cane planting, drainage work, and so forth. He also added that all the CEOs
have met with Mr. Karan to look at the roll-out plans once the budget is approved.
Raj Sharma
Chief Executive Officer