Minister for Sugar Charan Jeath Singh has announced that Fiji Sugar Corporation is set to acquire a second-hand mill from China to be installed in Rakiraki. Speaking at a Sugar Research Institute of Fiji Farmers’ Day in Rakiraki last Friday, Singh highlighted that a brand-new mill would cost $250 million. However, the second-hand mill from China is expected to cost half that amount.
“The mill we are negotiating for is only four years old,” Singh stated. “We have inspected the mill, and a team including the FSC chairman, CEO Bhan Singh, and engineers is quite satisfied with it. We are now focusing on securing the funding. Once that is in place, we will start organizing the mill’s relocation.”
He explained that Chinese engineers would handle the dismantling, shipping, installation, and operation of the mill, remaining in Fiji for two years to ensure its successful commissioning before handing it over.
The new Rakiraki mill will also handle the production of refined sugar, which is currently imported. Singh noted the high demand for refined sugar in Fiji and the Pacific Islands, adding that refined sugar holds greater market value.