Highland farmers in the province of Navosa are being urged to target the export market as their mainstay and source of income by growing export crops such as kava.

This was reiterated by Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment Hon. Dr Mahendra Reddy while handing over a kava nursery and 4,500 kava seedlings to the district of Navatusila in Navosa yesterday.

“Fiji’s agriculture sector is quite resilient, and it has grown, there is no doubt about this despite some negative criticisms that there is a lack of growth in the sector but I want to assure you, that our agriculture sector continues to grow and develop.”

“We continue to show signs of improved growth rate, in 2017 our exports from Fiji of agricultural produce were only $68million, these exports are the surplus production we generate after feeding the entire nation, in 2017 it was $68million and through your hard work and that of our stakeholders' support and Government support, we raised it from $68million in 2017 to $121million in 2021 and that is a substantial growth, $13million per year growth over four years, this is an amazing achievement, and we almost doubled the production value from 2017 as compared to 2021 in terms of export," he said.

“We want you to get into the export sector so that its benefits can also be felt here in the interior of Viti Levu, the number one export crop is kava, it is the number one export crop for Fiji earning approximately $42million per year and there is enormous potential to increase kava production and exports,” Minister Reddy elaborated.

“I don’t see why we need to import kava from Vanuatu when we know about growing kava here, you know how to raise it, we have the conditions prime for kava cultivation, you have the weather conditions and you have the land and we are ready to partner with you to support you to expand your kava production here,” Hon. Reddy added.

Additionally, Minister Reddy said part of the Ministry’s ambitions was to raise the level of kava production in the Western Division to reach and hopefully surpass the production levels of other parts of the country such as Vanua Levu, Taveuni, Kadavu, the Lomaiviti group and parts of the Central Division were known for growing kava.

“The Western Division is not renowned for kava exports and we want to position you so that in 3-4 years, the Western Division will become a major kava production and export area,” he said.

The Tokoni Farmers’ Cluster group received their kava nursery with eight other villages and settlements receiving yaqona seedlings each which was to be equally distributed amongst their kava farmers.

Tokoni village headman Mr Ulivou Nasakuka said the assistance provided by the Ministry through the kava nursery and seedlings would further motivate their farmers to grow even more despite the everyday challenges they faced.

“We are just so thankful, thankful first to be chosen to receive this assistance, we here in Navosa grow kava and other crops to support our daily lives and the 2,000 yaqona seedlings given to us here will help secure the planting material,” said Mr Nasakuka.

“I want to thank the Government too and the Ministry of Agriculture for helping us, it has been a long time since a Minister has also come to us here and the thought to meet with us and discuss our issues, we can’t thank the Ministry of Agriculture enough,” he said.

“We now can set our targets and aim for the export markets, this assistance is a huge boost of confidence in us and will help to secure our income and the needs of our families,” said Mr Nasakuka.

The four villages of Nanoko, Nabutautau, Nasauvakarua and Mare with the settlements of Natoka, Tuvatuva, Tokoni and Natodrakwadrakwa were the recipients of the yaqona seedlings which the Ministry’s Research Division prepared in Koronivia.

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