The strategic advantage of established factors available in the country’s agriculture sector is conducive for large scale investment.

This was highlighted by Minister for Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development, Waterways and Environment Hon. Dr. Mahendra Reddy during the launch of a large scale commercial agricultural venture in Naroro Village, Sigatoka yesterday.

An invitation was extended by Minister Reddy to potential investors to establish their operational offices here in Fiji.

“I wish to take this opportunity to extend an invitation to other potential investors to establish their operational office here in Fiji and vertically integrate with farm-level production activity so that they have full control over supply and quality and value add and export from Fiji.

Minister Reddy elaborated that since Fiji had fertile land suitable for crop agriculture, an abundant source of water available at no cost for agricultural use, with climatic conditions suitable for year-round production and pristine endowment offering leverage to venture into organic farming, these strategic advantages could be utilized by investors to capitalize on.

“We now have to re-orient our farming system, move towards mechanization and large holdings.

“We need to have large holdings which will allow minimization of unit costs of production, an advantage over the sourcing of raw materials, large scale production, control over timing and volume of supply and uniformity in product quality,” he said.

Hon. Reddy said Government was mandated to grow agriculture as it was in the nation's best interests to do so as agricultural growth in national interests would allow the engagement of labourers into meaningful and rewarding enterprises as well as putting idle fertile land into productive use ensuring landowners received maximum returns from it. 

Minister Reddy added this new venture would provide a source of livelihood for rural dwellers; and assist Fijians in meeting the food and nutritional security objective.

The venture will be led by Mr. Suren Kumar, originally from Naroro, Sigatoka who now resides in Sydney, Australia.

Mr. Kumar along with his local partners, Mr. Jiten Kumar and Mr. Jai Kumar are venturing into large scale goat and sheep farming as well as high valued crops.

As part of this venture, the crops that will be planted on a large scale are two varieties of Duruka, 5,000 units each of Lemon Grass, Grafted Lime plants, Grafted Hass Avocado plants and Hybrid Coconuts respectively.

They have also begun Dalo farming in Tailevu and will be establishing 100 acres of Dalo over the next 12 months with the first 12 acres almost complete.

The Ministry of Agriculture will assist and develop a plan to supply them with the seedlings on a monthly basis as this staggered approach would allow ample time for them to prepare their land as well as acquire new land.

-Ends-

• ← Go to all Press Releases