Agriculture Ministry seeks $15M from EU for non-sugar sector

Ministry of Agriculture has made an application for $15 million worth of assistance from the European Union for the non-sugar agriculture sector.

This was revealed in parliament today by the Minister for Agriculture Inia Seruiratu.

Seruiratu says the European Union is providing $23 million for the agriculture sector and the Ministry is expecting to get three quarter of the allocation.

He says the Ministry of Agriculture has already spent $2.1 million on agriculture rehabilitation.

The Minister says they have contributed an estimated $2.4 million in recovery efforts so far which includes mobilising of staff in distributing of planting materials.

He says people are now harvesting their crops and the prices of vegetables and root crops are coming down in most areas.

Seruiratu says he is confident with the allocation provided for the different programs they will be able to pick up the pace and strengthen the recovery efforts.