A leading Indian engineering firm will conduct a review of all three sugar mills operated by the Fiji Sugar Corporation free of charge, says Sugar Minister Charan Jeath Singh.

The results of the review will determine the feasibility of establishing a brand new mill in Rakiraki.

The Minister said he engaged consultants from the Indian Sugar & General Engineering Corporation (ISGEC) after a meeting in India earlier this year.

Mr Singh said the review aimed to leverage the expertise of ISGEC consultants to enhance efficiencies and productivity within Fiji’s sugar industry.

The Minister also held discussions with various manufacturers of sugar mills and equipment which led to the agreement in engaging the services of ISGEC consultants and engineers to commence work at FSC at no cost for professional services.

He said the study, scheduled from April 14th to April 24th this year will assist the government and FSC to review milling operations and explore the feasibility of setting up a new sugar mill in Rakiraki.

Mr Singh said ISGEC, was a renowned multi-product engineering company with a global presence spanning over 90 years and specialized in providing engineering solutions to various sectors, including sugar production.

He said their expertise in sugar plant manufacturing, equipment design, and process optimization made them well-suited to assist Fiji’s sugar industry in overcoming its challenges.

Mr Singh had earlier tagged the FSC’s dismal performance on the failed mill upgrade program conducted in 2006, which he claimed resulted in an industry loss of $500 million.

He further claimed the losses continued to accumulate through interest on loans to more than $900m today.

Mr Singh said the review which will begins later this month, aimed to assess the current state of the three sugar mills and propose recommendations for enhancing efficiencies and productivity.

He said key objectives included identifying opportunities for process improvement, assessing the condition of infrastructure, and addressing concerns related to farm yield and tonnes of cane to tonnne of sugar (TCTS) ratio.