MS. RESHMI KUMARI APPOINTED AS NEW CHAIRPERSON OF SUGAR CANE GROWERS COUNCIL

15/01/2021

The Board and Management of the Sugar Cane Growers Council (‘Council’) are pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Reshmi Kumari as the new Chairperson of the Council with effect from January1, 2021. Ms. Kumari’s appointment was made by the Prime Minister and Minister of the Sugar Industry pursuant to the Sugar Industry Act 1984.
 
Ms. Kumari being the first female amongst the five industry institutions to take up the Chairperson role, brings a wealth of experience and strategic vision to her role of leadership to oversee the planning, designing and implementation of plans and strategic actions to benefit cane growers in Fiji. She holds positions of increasing responsibility and complexity, as Director for Policy, Planning and Research at the Ministry of Sugar Industry and concurrently serving as Board member of the Sugar Research Institute of Fiji, Biosecurity Authority Fiji and Foods Processors (Fiji) Ltd.  
 
She hails from cane farming family in Tavua. With her industry experience in designing and implementing policies, Ms. Kumari together with Mr. Vimal Dutt, newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Council, is well positioned to work closely with Fiji Sugar Corporation Ltd, South Pacific Fertilizers Ltd, Sugar Cane Growers Fund, Sugar Industry Tribunal, and Sugar Research Institute of Fiji to execute Council’s role of protection and development of the industry and of the interests of cane growers.
 
Ms. Kumari holds a Master of Arts majoring in Economics from the University of Tsukuba in Japan.
 
The Permanent Secretary of Sugar Industry, Mr. Yogesh Karan welcomed Ms. Kumari’s appointment and wished her well for her new governance leadership role.
 
Ms. Reshmi Kumari substitutes Mr. Sanjay Kumar, the outgoing Chairman of the Council. The Council wishes to thank Mr.  Kumar for his exceptional contribution to the Council for past three years.  Mr. Kumar will continue to provide strategic advice to the Council as Director Operations for Ministry of Sugar Industry.