THE Lautoka Sugar Mill will open the 2025 harvesting season today.
Growers between Sigatoka and Ba have been preparing for weeks to deliver their harvest to the mill before the opening of the Labasa Sugar Mill on June 17 followed by Rarawai on June 24.
One such farmer preparing for the new season is Rhamiza Khanam Ali, of Lovu Sector in Lautoka.
Mrs Ali was among the first farmers who began their harvest in preparation for the opening of the Lautoka mill today.
“We want a positive start for this harvesting season,” Mrs Ali said.
“We have 11 acres of land and we plant sugar cane on eight of them.”
She said this year, despite the challenges of the high cost of planting and harvesting, she hoped to harvest a large amount of cane.
“This season I am hoping to harvest about 400 tonnes of sugar cane.
“Last year we harvested 350 tonnes, and I am hoping to increase that this year.
“I have brought in my labourers, and I am paying $30 per tonne this season.”
Last month, the FSC had forecasted that an increase of 200,000 tonnes would be crushed in the 2025 season — up by 15 percent from the 1.33 million tonnes harvested in 2024.
FSC chairman Nitya Reddy had said to process this amount, they would need the full support of growers and stakeholders.
“The industry can no longer be treated as a cauldron of conflict and confrontation,” Mr Reddy said.
