Labasa sugar cane farmers to collect $1.3m today

Amount paid on the forecast price of $39.42 per metric tonne of sugar cane

Sugar cane farmers in Labasa who had harvested and supplied their crops to the mill since crushing began will in total be paid $1.3 million by the Fiji Sugar Corporation today. FSC executive chairman Abdul Khan confirmed this yesterday adding that the amount is paid on the forecast price of $39.42 per metric tonne of sugar cane. This first cane payment is paid to farmers who harvest their sugar cane and deliver it to the mill by the cut off time, usually about two weeks after harvesting begins. Mr Khan said the Labasa Mill had crushed over 77,000 tonnes to date, producing over 7100 tonnes of sugar. The mill has had minor teething problems and crushing has continued without much

problems. Mr Khan had earlier requested farmers to increase the supply of sugar cane to the mill to minimise stoppages because of low cane supply. Meanwhile, Lautoka Sugar Mill began its steam trials yesterday in preparation for crush towards the end of next week.

Lautoka will start a day after crushing begins at Rarawai Mill in Ba. Mr Khan said the steam trials were normally to check for steam leakages and get the machinery ready for the beginning of crush.