Minister for Sugar Charan Jeath Singh has announced that the Fiji Sugar Corporation is set to acquire a second-hand sugar mill from China for installation in Rakiraki.
Singh revealed this development during a Farmers’ Day event organized by the Sugar Research Institute of Fiji in Rakiraki last Friday.
He explained that a brand-new sugar mill would cost around $250 million. However, the second-hand mill they are considering from China is expected to cost about half that amount and is only four years old.
“We have inspected the mill, and a team from FSC, including the chairman, CEO Bhan Singh, and engineers, have also visited and are satisfied with its condition,” Singh said. “Now, it’s just a matter of securing the necessary funding. Once that’s done, we will proceed with organizing the mill’s acquisition.”
He added that if the plan moves forward, Chinese engineers will be responsible for dismantling the mill, shipping it to Fiji, and installing and operating it. The engineers are expected to stay for two years to ensure the mill is fully commissioned before handing it over.
Singh also mentioned that at the new Rakiraki mill, the final product would be refined sugar. He noted the significant demand for refined sugar within Fiji and the Pacific Islands, pointing out that refined sugar commands a higher market value and is currently imported.
The establishment of the new mill aims to meet this demand and produce refined sugar locally.