The sugar mill operated by Fiji Sugar Corporation in Labasa has been outperforming the two mills located in Viti Levu in terms of operational efficiency, particularly regarding downtime. This was highlighted by the Minister for Sugar Industry, Charan Jeath Singh, during his recent visit to Labasa.
So far this season, the Labasa Mill has processed 352,000 tonnes of cane, with expectations to reach between 600,000 and 650,000 tonnes by the end of the season. The minister noted that the mill has already completed two shipments of sugar and one shipment of molasses, with additional shipments of both products anticipated before the year concludes.
Singh mentioned that the total projected cane crushing from all three mills this season is around $1.6 million. He provided insight into the efficiency of the operations, stating that the ratio of tonnes of cane to tonnes of sugar (TCTS) for Labasa Mill is currently at eight percent, compared to nine to ten percent for the Lautoka and Ba Mills. He stated that, considering the current TCTS, sugar production is expected to be approximately 150,000 tonnes, which would yield gross earnings of about $150 million for Fiji.
However, Singh also pointed out challenges faced by the mills in Ba and Lautoka, such as boiler malfunctions leading to delays in operations. He explained that at times, mills may need to halt operations due to insufficient cane supply, which is a costly necessity that the public often does not fully understand.