Fiji’s Minister for Sugar, Charan Jeath Singh, has announced the urgent need to replace the aging boilers at the Fiji Sugar Corporation. Speaking to cane growers in Drasa, Lautoka, he emphasized the importance of boilers, stating, “the heart of any factory or any sugar mill is the boiler itself.”
He explained that the next step involves the FSC providing the ministry with their specific boiler requirements, indicating plans for a new capital project focused on acquiring new boilers.
Singh noted that the Lautoka and Rarawai mills are around 145 years old, necessitating a continuous maintenance program for the structures. He stressed that all machinery requires regular servicing and repairs.
The minister pointed out that while the industry aims for efficiency, the government has inherited challenges stemming from the previous administration’s failures to allocate funds properly for maintenance.
Mr. Singh mentioned receiving daily calls from growers on Viti Levu, particularly from those in Lautoka and Ba, seeking solutions for their operational concerns, unlike those in Vanua Levu, where the Labasa mill operates smoothly. He expressed the government’s commitment to support farmers and improve the overall sugar industry in the region.