Fiji’s Sugar Industry Gets Watered Down

Sugarcane is indigenous to Melanesia, a region of island nations including Fiji. Although sugar has been the economic backbone of Fiji, cane growers now struggle to overcome government neglect, rising indebtedness, and occasional cyclone-related damage. As a result, the country’s sugar output has dropped by half over the past 10 years. Water is now a more valuable export than sugar. Moreover, some cane growers, despairing over future prospects, are turning to vegetables and pulses. As such, sugar’s dominance may continue to erode.