Despite a slow start to the new cane crushing season, over 70,000 tones have been collectively crushed at the Fiji Sugar Corporation’s mills in Lautoka and Labasa.
FSC Chief Executive Officer, Graham Clark said they achieved the mark of 5,000 tonnes per day as of June 27 for both mills, while cane maturity has also improved.
“You can see a lot more cane flowering, which signifies that it’s matured,” he said.
“So, cane purity is lifting nicely and is back at around the 80 per cent mark.”
Both mills have quickly settled to steady crushing patterns and begun to reach budget targets, and crushed close to 35,000 tonnes each to date.
The tonnes of canes to tonnes of sugar (TCTS) for Lautoka is at 12, while Labasa is just under 10.
The first eleven of new 6-wheeler trucks have been distributed to Labasa and operating well, though the industry still faces a shortage of lorries.
“What we are hearing is that drivers are wanting higher rates. Growers are ready, they have mobilized their cutters etc but lorry availability seems to be an issue,’ Mr Clark CEO noted.
“Its’ early days yet, only two weeks into the crushing season. We would like to see Rarawai start-up on July 9 as scheduled and we are hopeful for a good season”.
Extensive mill refurbishments have resulted in steadier mill runs, with the diffuser plant at the country’s largest sugar mill in Lautoka now averaging an extraction rate of 97 per cent, up by two points from 2018.