Crushing across the main sugar mills is well into its fourth week in Labasa with the West mills beginning their season two weeks ago.
Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Sugar, Yogesh Karan says while there have been a few issues with unplanned stoppages with mill breakdowns, the crushing figures have recorded increases from sugar yields to how much more cane is being crushed.
“The mill output has increased by 12 percent, the crushing as compared to the last two years, 2016 and 2017, we are up by nine percent and there’s an increase in the tonnes of cane to tonnes of sugar by another nine percent, so the figures are looking good and we don’t expect any more break downs which we have seen.”
Karan says in addition to ensuring the mills run effectively, the Sugarcane Development and Farmers assistance program has begun rolling out its cane planting grants.
The grants are to assist farmers with land preparation, replanting of new crops as well as to ensure drainage issues are sorted.
Fifteen point four million dollars has been allocated to this program for the new financial year.