FSC: LABASA MILL HITS SEASON HIGH
SHRATIKA NAIDU
The Fiji Sugar Corporation’s (FSC) Labasa mill has hit a season high, crushing over 6,056 tonnes of cane on Friday.
This means unloading 489 lorries/tractors and 340 rail trucks.
This was confirmed by FSC’s chief operating officer Navin Chandra.
He said tonnes cane per tonnes sugar (TCTS) of 8.41 was achieved on the day, showing that the mill was moving in the right direction.
“This is an improvement, above the budget figures after work was done on speeding up the mill without getting chokes on Tuesday (August 14),” Mr Chandra said.
“As I have mentioned earlier Labasa mill has the best TCTS so far, improving by five per cent from last year and we are looking at further improvements during the season.
“About 88 per cent of the gangs are operational now, the balance of them are still looking for cutters or are part individual harvesting gang.
“Most of these are small gangs or individual farmer harvesting their own cane.”
Concerns were raised this crushing season by farmers about mill stoppages.
“It is important to recognise that the Labasa mill has reduced all stoppages by 30 per cent in 2017 and 2016,” Mr Chandra said.
“In 2018, we are seeing three per cent less mill breakdowns but overall stoppages has reduced by 23 per cent and this is because of the good cane supply.” He added the Labasa mill engineering team will continue to monitor and sustain the improvements that have been made and back it up with continuous above the target crush figures.
Labasa mill has crushed a total of 237,219 tonnes of cane, making 26,000 tonnes of sugar, this season, Mr Chandra said.
Labasa Mill opens on Sunday
Mr Chandra has confirmed the Labasa mill will be operational today.
He is requesting farmers to supply cane so that the mill can continue running till Tuesday. “Sunday is an opportune time for mechanical harvesters to maximise loads as several manual harvesting gangs won’t be operational,” he said. He has also reminded the growers to order their requirement of fertiliser and weedicide as it is very important they apply the right quantities to get maximum yield.
The Labasa mill engineering team will continue to monitor and sustain the improvements that have been made and back it up with continuous above the target crush figures