The Ministries of Agriculture and Fisheries are expected to lay out another formal plan to increase market access for people in the maritime communities in the coming months.
This will include increasing the capacity of the Agriculture Marketing Authority which is regularly connected with farmers and fishermen in the islands.
Minister for Fisheries Semi Koroilavesau has confirmed that discussions will be held with the Agriculture Marketing Authority after his official tour of the Lomaiviti group.
These discussions will be centered around the government buying fish directly from the fishermen’s associations.
The Ministry of Fisheries has already held consultations with the Kadavu and Gau fishermen’s associations.
The Agriculture Marketing Authority says it already has field officers based in Gau and Kadavu who help arrange the transportation of both root crops and fish to the urban markets.
They would also suggest the idea of using fisheries vessels to transport both fish and root crops to the urban markets.
Minister for Fisheries, Semi Koroilavesau announced earlier this week that it would work with the Agriculture Marketing Authority to provide a fisheries vessel and buy fish from the Gau and Kadavu Fishermen’s Association.
Koroilavesau says they will send a fisheries vessel every fortnight to Gau and Kadavu.
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