The Lautoka sugar mill has been the worst performing factory to date for the Fiji Sugar Corporation in the 2024 season with a tonnes cane to tonnes sugar (TCTS) ratio of 13.0.
TCTS is a measure that shows the Lautoka mill crushed 13 tonnes of cane to make one tonne of sugar.
The TCTS for the Labasa Mill to date is 10.1 while the Rarawai Mill has a TCTS ratio of 11.2.
“The corporation has faced significant challenges this season due to adverse weather conditions, notably the ongoing drought associated with the El Niño phenomenon,” said Fiji Sugar Corporation CEO Bhan Singh.
“Cane quality parameters have not seen any significant improvements compared to the last seasons.
“Burnt cane in the Viti Levu mills has been one of the highest recorded, with the mills being supplied with more than 50 percent burnt cane on a daily basis in the early part of the crushing season.”
Mr Singh said trash received in the cane had also been recorded as abnormally high.
Rarawai and Lautoka mills have had some plant failures in the earlier part of the season.
“The maintenance teams have resolved the issues, and operations have normalised.”
“Labasa Mill has had an exceptionally good season with minimal plant failures, most mill stoppages have been related to poor cane supply in the mill.”
