Fiji Sugar Corporation’s Labasa sugar mill is demonstrating improved performance compared to the two mills in Viti Levu, particularly regarding operational issues such as downtime. This update was shared by the Minister for Sugar Industry, Charan Jeath Singh, during his recent visit to Labasa.
As of this season, the Labasa mill has processed 352,000 tonnes of sugar cane, with projections to reach between 600,000 and 650,000 tonnes. Singh noted that there have already been two shipments of sugar and one shipment of molasses dispatched from Labasa, with expectations for an additional sugar and molasses shipment before year-end.
The anticipated total sugar cane crushing for this season across all three mills is approximately 1.6 million tonnes. Singh indicated that the current cane-to-sugar conversion ratio (TCTS) for Labasa mill stands at eight percent, compared to nine to ten percent for the Lautoka and Ba mills. This performance suggests that sugar production could reach around 150,000 tonnes, translating to an estimated $150 million in sales revenue for Fiji.
Singh also highlighted operational challenges at the Ba and Lautoka mills, including boiler failures and prolonged waiting times for drivers. He emphasized the necessity for a sufficient cane supply to maintain effective mill operations, noting that insufficient cane could lead to costly shutdowns.