Rachna lal
SUVA
The Fiji Sugar Corporation is looking at the possibility of constructing a new sugar mill in Rakiraki to replace the existing Penang Mill.
A prefeasibility study is already being carried out to see the viability of this option.
Corporation executive chairman, Abdul Khan, said the Penang Mill has reached the end of its economic life and the maintenance cost was starting to become uneconomical for them.
Mr Khan said: “It may be economically viable for us to replace the existing mill rather than trying to do maintenance on it.”
Mr Khan said they are look for a location similar and near to the existing Penang Mill.
“This is so that we don’t end up where there is a lot of sugarcane and we cannot harvest or process,” he said.
Cost involved
In terms of the costs involved for the construction of the new mill, Mr Khan said once the prefeasibility study is completes, they will then have a good understanding of dollars involved.
Meanwhile, Mr Khan further said they are looking to start the cane processing season around mid-June for all four mills.
“We’re looking at about two million tonnes of sugar cane and making around about 210,000 tonnes of sugar this season,” he said.
Mr Khan said given the suppressed world market prices for sugar, it would be challenging in terms of negotiating for good prices this year.
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