Source: Supplied

The Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Sugar Industry, Dr. Vinesh Kumar, visited the Rarawai Sugar Mill today to witness first-hand the damage caused by the recent fire and to review the progress of restoration works.

This visit was undertaken following the directive of the line Minister, Charan Jeath Singh.

During the site inspection, Dr. Kumar met with an independent fire assessor from New Zealand, who has been engaged to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the incident.

He was also briefed on the preventive maintenance efforts currently underway to safeguard operations at other mills.

According to the Ministry, the Fiji Sugar Corporation confirmed that power had been restored to key areas of the Rarawai site through the deployment of portable, containerized generators.

Dr. Kumar observed that FSC had already removed all burnt equipment and panels from the affected section of the mill. At the time of his visit, major underfloor cables were also being removed, with heavy machinery on-site to support the process.

These visible efforts demonstrate FSC’s commitment to progressing recovery works without delay.

Dr. Kumar also emphasized to Rarawai Mill’s General Manager,  Iliyaz Khan, the importance of expediting all possible works to ensure the mill is brought back into operation at the earliest opportunity.

Following the inspection, the Permanent Secretary convened a meeting at FSC Headquarters with CEO Bhan Pratap Singh and the senior management team.

Discussions focused on the restoration of Rarawai Mill and ensuring uninterrupted operations at the Lautoka Mill to minimize disruptions for farmers.

The Ministry noted that an estimated 80% of cane from the Lautoka Mill area, and 85% from the Rarawai and Penang Mill areas, has been affected by fire.

As a result, the Lautoka Mill underwent a planned stoppage from 8pm to allow for critical cleaning of the diffusers.

Dr. Kumar was informed that poor juice quality had caused heavy scaling inside the equipment, necessitating extensive cleaning.

This process involves the manual removal, cleaning, and replacement of approximately 15,000 tubes within the diffusers.

Dr. Kumar stressed that scheduled maintenance is essential, as the mill cannot afford unplanned downtime at this critical stage of the season.

The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment—together with FSC and other stakeholders—to supporting farmers during this challenging period and ensuring that every effort is made to restore mill operations in the shortest possible time.

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