Sugarcane farming gains ground on Efate as local association grows

June 9, 2025 9:56 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

By Ezra Toara & Kizzy kalsakau.

Sugarcane is emerging as a promising new crop for farmers in Vanuatu, with growing interest from communities across Efate. The Efate Sugarcane Farmers Association, formed in 2023, now boasts a membership of 151 registered farmers, with more showing interest in joining as awareness of the crop and its market potential grows.

Chairman of the association, Mr. Japen Kapalu, said sugarcane is still relatively new to Vanuatu’s agricultural scene, but interest has grown steadily due to the availability of a local market.

“Sugarcane is a new crop here, and I saw the potential because there’s a market for it in Vanuatu,” Kapalu said. “When I started planting and the news spread, more people became interested, and that’s how the association came about.”

He said the association was established to support farmers who are venturing into sugarcane farming and to create a network for knowledge-sharing, access to planting materials, and connection to buyers.

“There are already three hectares of commercial sugarcane plantations on Efate,” he said, adding that several smallholder farmers are also showing keen interest in joining the association and expanding their production. “Farmers are also seeking guidance from agriculture officers on how to properly plant and care for the crop.”

According to Kapalu, while farmers are planting any variety they can access for now, assessments have identified six to seven sugarcane varieties suitable for Vanuatu’s climate and soil.

“When someone is interested in planting sugarcane, the association can provide planting materials,” he explained. “If they’ve cleared their land, they can contact me, and I’ll find a farmer who’s currently harvesting to provide cuttings.”

He added that farmers are already supplying sugarcane to the 83 Islands Distillery, which is buying the crop for processing.

“In just six months, we’ve delivered over 300 tonnes to the distillery,” Kapalu noted. “They currently pay VT 40 per litre of product derived from our sugarcane. We’re going slowly for now, but in the future, we hope to negotiate a higher price.”

The distillery uses the sugarcane to produce pure alcohol and other value-added beverages, offering a steady and reliable market for local producers.

Paul Simbolo, a farmer from Epule village, is among those who have made the switch from traditional root crops to sugarcane. Formerly focused on cassava and sweet potato (kumala), he became disheartened by low returns from government-supported export programs.

“In 2022, we joined the cassava export initiative, but the returns were not good. That’s when I decided to shift to sugarcane,” he said.

Simbolo has planted around 1.5 hectares—approximately 15,000 heads of sugarcane. However, his first harvest in December 2023 was met with challenges when the factory couldn’t process his crop in time.

“Five truckloads of sugarcane were destroyed. It was a big setback and affected my motivation,” he admitted. “But I’m still very interested because sugarcane isn’t hard work compared to root crops, and the income is reliable.”

He emphasised that while crops like cassava and kumala require waiting for market demand, sugarcane offers farmers a guaranteed buyer.

“There’s a factory here in Vanuatu. That makes all the difference. You don’t have to wait for someone to come buy your produce—once you harvest, you get paid,” Simbolo said. “We have green gold here. It’s just a matter of making the right choice and investing in it.”

He called on the government to support sugarcane farmers, especially those aiming to expand into commercial farming.

Chairman Kapalu echoed the sentiment, saying he is committed to helping farmers grow the industry.

“I’m here to support them,” he said. “Anyone interested in joining the Efate Sugarcane Farmers Association can reach out to register and be part of this growing movement.”