Minister for Sugar Charan Jeath Singh has set his sights on producing 3.5 million tonnes of cane.

The Minister made this bold statement while opening the crushing season for the Labasa Mill.

The highest cane production recorded by the industry was 4.1 million tonnes of cane in 1994.

Singh says he will not back down and will continue to work on reviving the sugar industry to its former glory.

“Labasa Sugar Mill, at one good time, used to crush 1.2 million tonnes of cane because our estimation is that last year we crushed 1.3 million tonnes of cane, and this year we’re looking at about 1.5. So an increase of 200,000 tons. And if the trend goes right, we should be looking at a 200,000-tonnes annual increase, and I will not rest until we bring the industry to 3.2 million to about 3.5 million tonnes of cane.”

The Minister told farmers to continue using the land as the government is providing more assistance to improve productivity.

He acknowledged farmers for making the mill the best-performing mill in the country, and he hopes for better production this season.

Labasa Mill General Secretary Seini Toganivalu has also paid tribute to the women in the industry for their continuous work and support while officiating at the official opening of the 2025 season.

“We commit to creating space where it’s not just recognized but respected and elevated. Whether you’re driving a truck, running numbers in finance, managing the lab, troubleshooting machinery, or running the logistics of the entire mill, your contribution counts, and that includes the incredible women across the lot who have given so much, often without a spotlight.”

The crushing season, which now gets underway for the Labasa Mill, is also providing a platform for employment, and farmers are excited about the minister’s bold vision.

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