CANE lorry operators at Nawaicoba, near Nadi Town quizzed Fiji Sugar Corporation's executive chairman Abdul Khan on the status of the Lautoka mill after trucks were forced to wait overnight because of issues with the mill.
Similarly, the Fiji Cane Lorry Operators Association (FCLOA) reported that close to 200 trucks were diverted from the Rarawai mill in Ba to Lautoka and Penang in Rakiraki.
The Rarawai mill failed to start after the Prime Minister and Minister of Sugar Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama opened crushing at the Rarawai mill on Tuesday afternoon.
Mr Khan told The Fiji Times that issues with both mills forced the unplanned shutdowns.
"In regards to the Lautoka factory we were forced to reduce the crush rate due to slow cane supply. When supply eventually picked up we suffered a choke which resulted in the shutdown. This has since been fixed and the mill is now operational."
Mr Khan said issues with a grate in the boiler at Rarawai had forced the shutdown of the mill immediately after Commodore Bainimarama officially opened the mill for the 2012 crushing season.
"This has since been addressed and the mill should be fully operational by midday today (yesterday)," he said.
However, the FCLOA said Rarawai did not begin crushing at midday as announced and lorry drivers were informed the mill could begin crushing sometime today.