Fiji Sugar Corporation’s Labasa sugar mill is showing improved performance compared to the two mills in Viti Levu, particularly in operation issues such as mill downtime. This was confirmed by Charan Jeath Singh, the Minister for the Sugar Industry, during his recent visit to Labasa.
So far this season, the Labasa mill has processed 352,000 tonnes of sugarcane, with expectations to reach a total of 600,000 to 650,000 tonnes. Singh noted that Labasa has successfully completed two shipments of sugar and one of molasses, with additional shipments of both products anticipated before the year’s end.
The total cane crushing forecast for the three mills this season stands at approximately $1.6 million. The current ratio of tonnes of cane to tonnes of sugar (TCTS) at Labasa is eight percent, compared to nine to 10 percent at the Lautoka and Ba mills. Based on this TCTS, an estimated sugar output of around 150,000 tonnes is expected, which would generate gross earnings of about $150 million for Fiji.
Singh acknowledged that the mills in Ba and Lautoka have faced challenges, including boiler issues that have caused delays. He emphasized the necessity for a sufficient supply of cane for cost-effective mill operations, explaining that insufficient cane can lead to closures, which is often misunderstood by the public.