New variety of guava to be launched in Fiji next year

The Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Taiwan Technical Mission will launch a new variety of guava in Fiji next year.

The Research Division of the Ministry and Taiwan Technical Mission officials recently organised a field day at the Sigatoka Research Station, to put up a proposal to farmers living in Valley Road to plant this new variety of guava as well as to specialise in commercial farming in the future.

Principal Research Officer Horticulture Shalendra Prasad says they have been working in collaboration with Taiwan Technical Mission on various fruits and vegetable research and development projects.

He says the Ministry and the Taiwan Technical Mission have introduced a good variety of guava and conducted research for the past 10 years.

Prasad says some farmers have shown keen interest in accepting this new crop and are willing to specialise in this commodity at the commercial level.

He says currently there are no commercially organised plantations of guava and we intend to release this new variety of guava for commercial production.

Prasad says it will be targeted for local markets especially in supermarkets and hotel industry.

He added that the new variety of guava will be officially released next year and the Ministry will facilitate farmers with planting materials.