Major maintenance and upgrades underway at Lautoka and Labasa mills-Tunabuna

Major maintenance and targeted upgrades at the Lautoka and Labasa sugar mills are being carried out by the Fiji Sugar Corporation ahead of the next crushing season.

This was highlighted by Minster for Agriculture Tomasi Tunabuna while responding to a question by Opposition MP Jone Usamate on what measures are being implemented to upgrade ageing infrastructure at the Lautoka and Labasa mills, given recent mill breakdowns and operational inefficiencies.

Tunabuna says the mills are over 140 years old, stressing that efficiency has also been reduced by substandard work carried out under the Sugar Technology Mission project by previous FSC management, with Fiji continuing to pay $18 million annually to Exim Bank for the loan tied to that project.

Insert: Tunabuna on FSC 29th April.

Tunabuna says Lautoka Mill recorded the highest number of breakdowns during the 2025 crushing season, mainly due to ageing boiler components, a deteriorated carrier system, and failures within the diffuser and processing stations.

He says FSC is replacing critical boiler infrastructure, including the front wall, peephole tubes and air preheater tubes, while major repairs are also being carried out on feeding and carrier systems, along with upgrades to the diffuser, piping systems and mill instrumentation.

At Labasa Mill, key improvement works are underway on the boiler, powerhouse and crushing stations.

Meanwhile, Opposition MP Faiyaz Koya questioned whether the planned upgrades to the two larger mills would also position Fiji to produce sustainable aviation fuel from sugarcane, stressing it could generate significantly more revenue for the industry.

In response, Tunabuna says Government will soon receive a full feasibility study on the sugar industry, which is expected to identify better products that can be derived from sugarcane, including aviation fuel.

Tunabuna says officials from Airbus will meet with Government representatives this Friday to discuss how Fiji can contribute to fuel production generated from sugarcane.

Opposition MP Hem Chand raised concerns over the lack of proper facilities for cane truck drivers who spend long hours waiting at mill compounds, highlighting the need for better washrooms, canteens and waiting areas.

Tunabuna confirmed that supporting infrastructure, including driver facilities, is also part of FSC’s wider renovation plans currently being undertaken at the mills.

Opposition MP Virendra Lal further questioned what specific upgrades and maintenance work are being carried out to prevent mills from breaking down at the start of the next crushing season despite having five to six months for preparations.

In response to Lal, Tunabuna says FSC is focusing on repairing the sections of the mills that are most prone to breakdowns during crushing, with the aim of ensuring more reliable operations at the start of the next season.