Rakiraki businessman George Shiu Raj is happy that what he had invested in the sugar industry had been dedicated to the Rakiraki farmers.

Also a sugar cane grower, Mr Raj procured 15 caged trucks, one mechanical harvester and one manual loading truck in May to his existing fleet of five trucks and a mechanical harvester.

Mr Raj had invested upto $5.5 million in the industry.

“I am contracted under Nanuku Gang and Galau Gang who use the trucks and harvester for their crushing season,” he said.

He said the investment was focused to provide efficient services to the growers in Rakiraki.

Mr Raj had earlier spoken about wanting to purchase the cyclone battered Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) Penang mill in 2017.

Plans To Purchase Penang Mill
When asked about the same recently, he said he would be more than happy to purchase the Penang mill and, if need be, the Rarawai mill.

“If it helps with sugar production, and helps the growers, I am more than willing to purchase the mills.

“Although I have a supermarket and an export business in Rakiraki along with commercial properties on rent, my priority has been the sugar industry.

“I would earn around 500 per cent more revenue than what I do with sugar, if I had focused on expanding my supermarkets,” he said.

He urged supermarket owners to invest in the sugar industry.

“When you focus on the sugar industry, you are focusing on the grassroots of the population.

“Therefore, supermarket owners can eventually expect better sales of the products when these farmers have enough money to spend.”

He described this as a domino effect of investment.

FSC Support
Mr Raj said the FSC team had been doing exceptionally well with the industry.

“Fiji Sugar Corporation board chairman Pradeep Lal along with Permanent Secretary for Sugar Yogesh Karan and other board members are very humble and committed towards the sugar industry.

“There has been a lot of assistance from FSC in terms of technical support and the field officers.”

He thanked the FSC board members and Rarawai mill general manager and field officers for their assistance and input in the sugar industry.

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