Reform or Deform???

[posted 27 Aug 2009,10.30]

Three of the four sugar mills had stoppages last week because of mechanical problems.

The Labasa, Lautoka and Rarawai Mills stopped crushing for varying periods during the week.

Rarawai Mill crushed only 14,000 tonnes of cane during the week when it should have done around 38,000 tonnes. Labasa at 28,000 tonnes was 10,000 tonnes below target and Lautoka was down by 4000 tonnes.

“It seems we will not be able to crush all harvestable cane because of FSC’s negligence. We are looking at a large standover cane unless the situation improves markedly from now onwards,” a Growers’ Councillor from Nadi said.

In the case of Ba, the situation seems hopeless as the Rarawai Mill continues its chronic stop-start operation; performing at only 30% capacity.

“Huge quantities of cane juice are flushed out into the Ba River because the mill is unable to convert it to sugar on account of the malfunctioning of its boilers,” complained a farmer who has been waiting at the mill for 48 hours to unload his cane.

This then is the pathetic state of the mills.

One is left wondering whether the Australian consultants hired by FSC and the Sugar Ministry are busy reforming or simply deforming the industry!