𝐅𝐢𝐣𝐢 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢-𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬

The Minister for Multi-Ethnic Affairs and Sugar Industry, Hon. Charan Jeath Singh, yesterday received a courtesy visit from the Non-Resident Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to Fiji, Her Excellency Kira Christianne Danganan Azecena.

The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the areas of sugar industry development and multi-ethnic affairs.

Minister Singh provided a comprehensive briefing on Fiji’s sugar industry, outlining key challenges such as labour shortages, climate vulnerabilities, and escalating production costs. He also presented the Ministry’s five-year recovery and revitalisation plan, developed in collaboration with the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC), Sugar Cane Growers Council (SCGC), Sugar Research Institute of Fiji (SRIF), and other stakeholders. The plan aims to increase sugarcane production by an additional 200,000 tonnes annually, improve mechanisation, and support diversification through downstream investments like ethanol and sustainable fuel.

The Minister also shared insights into the Government’s incentive programs and grant schemes aimed at supporting farmers and boosting productivity across the cane belt.

In the area of Multi-Ethnic Affairs, Minister Singh and Her Excellency discussed potential areas of collaboration, including cultural preservation, social cohesion, and inter-ethnic dialogue. The Ambassador noted that the Philippines, with a population of over 116 million people and more than 135 languages, is a highly diverse and multicultural society, making it well-positioned to exchange experiences with Fiji on managing diversity and promoting unity.

Her Excellency Azecena also highlighted that the Philippines has a vibrant and well-established sugar industry, particularly in the Central Visayas region, and extended an official invitation to Minister Singh to visit their sugar-producing provinces to observe their systems, research institutions, and cooperative models firsthand.

Both parties expressed optimism about building a strong partnership through technical cooperation, research exchange, and capacity-building initiatives in the sugar sector, while also exploring cultural and institutional linkages between the two countries. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to deepen engagement and formalise future collaboration in both sectors of mutual interest.