Fiji imports $40 million worth of rice annually and farmers from the province of Ra have been advised to consider planting rice as an alternative crop to help reduce the import bill on agriculture related produce.
This was revealed by Ministry of Agriculture’s Senior Research Officer Rice Penaia Mua who was addressing farmers during a rice field day held this week in Saivou, Ra.
Mua says rice is a staple food, consumed by all Fijians and it would be beneficial to everyone if more would be planted locally.
He highlighted the government’s aim to revitalize the rice industry through collaboration with development partners like China in an attempt to reduce imports adding that the need for more farmers to venture into rice farming is crucial.
Mua says the import bill is more reason to cultivate rice in Ra as it is currently being done in Dreketi in Vanua Levu.
Demonstrations on proper rice cultivation methods that could be adopted to mitigate the change in climatic patterns in the Ra province were displayed to attending farmers during the rice field day.
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