First Sugar Shipment Departs Thursday

Fiji’s first sugar consignment of the season is expected to leave by Thursday after completing loading at Fiji Sugar Corporation’s loading facility at Lautoka.

The vessel, Port Alice, arrived into the country last week and loaded 17,000 tonnes of sugar from the Labasa mill at Malau wharf on Vanua Levu.

The vessel then travelled down to Lautoka and began loading soon after arriving yesterday morning. FSC chief executive officer Graham Clark confirmed that 16,000 tonnes of sugar was initially planned for loading in Labasa. But an extra 1000 tonnes was added.

“The remainder of 13,000 tonnes that would make up the total shipment was from Lautoka.

“We expect loading to be completed by Thursday,” Mr Clark said.

He added that the sugar consignment would either be shipped to the United Kingdom or another European country.

He added other sugar exports this year would see two in August, going to Spain and the United States of America. The latter being Fiji’s best export market because of the high price.

September will see another shipment to the UK with the two final shipments in October and December.

“In total there will be six shipments with around

170,000 tonnes of sugar,” Mr

Clark said.

The first molasses shipment 28,000 tonnes will take place next month. Other shipments scheduled for October and December bring the total export of molasses this season to 80,000 tonnes.

Mr Clark said loading of the smoothly with no problems so far.