Parts of the $5million pine chip mill at Wairiki in Bua were unloaded at the site yesterday.
Mechanical parts that included a debarker drew crowds to the Nabouwalu Jetty.
International chipping company Pederson Group of New Zealand signed a five-year contract with Fiji Pine Limited to manage chipping works at the mill.
Company workers began setting up the mill yesterday.
Fiji Pine Board deputy chairman Ratu Jolame Lewanavanua said the company board would visit the mill next week to inspect the progress of the pine chip mill.
“We want chipping to begin as soon as possible because of the export market schedule that must be met,”he said.
The first shipment of pine chips with a tonnage of about 25,000 will be exported to Japan in April.
Fiji Pine anticipates a total of five shipments from Wairiki this year.
Each shipment is valued between $3m to $5m.
As part of his north tour, Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama visited the mill yesterday.
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