Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry has warned that yesterday’s fire at the Fiji Sugar Corporation’s (FSC) Rarawai mill in Ba will have a serious impact on the national economy. He urged the Government and FSC to act with urgency to address the fallout, reports The Fiji Times.
FSC confirmed the fire broke out in the mill’s powerhouse and caused extensive damage to parts of the facility. CEO Bhan Pratap Singh said investigations are underway to determine the cause and assess the full extent of the losses. He added that a detailed report will be released once inquiries by the National Fire Authority and Energy Fiji Limited are completed.
All workers evacuated safely and no injuries were reported. Operations at the Rarawai mill will remain suspended until further notice.
Mr Singh said lorries carrying cane have been redirected to the Lautoka mill to ensure continuity of supply. He added that all sector lorries would now be instructed to proceed directly to Lautoka to reduce disruption to farmers and stakeholders.
However, Mr Chaudhry expressed concern over whether the Lautoka mill, which has faced mechanical issues since the start of the season in July, can handle the additional load. He noted that about 440,000 tonnes of cane—roughly 60 per cent of the crop in the Western cane belt—still remains to be crushed.
He also questioned whether cane farmers with unharvested crops would receive fair compensation for lost earnings caused by the shutdown.
