Farmers to assist Govt in reducing potato imports
Farmers to assist Govt in reducing potato imports
By
fijivillage.com
24/02/2011
Farmers will play a key role in Government's intentions to reduce the potato import bill by 6.3 percent this year.
This was the message conveyed by the Minister for Primary Industries, Joketani Cokanasiga while opening the Potatoes Stakeholders Consultative Meeting in Sigatoka this morning.
Latest figures from the Bureau of Statistics tagged the potato import bill at $17.8 million for 2010.
The minister added that the Agriculture department has been tasked to reduce the potato import bill to $16 million by 2012.
To achieve this as set in the Strategic Development Plan, 442 hectares of potatoes will be planted in year one producing 5,300 tonnes.
The Government has allocated $260,000 under the Food Security Programme to plant 133 hectares with an expected yield of 1066 tonnes which farmers are expected to earn $1.1 million from it.
About 300 farmers from Nadarivatu, Ba, NadrogaNavosa, Tavua and Sigatoka are part of the meeting.
The Minister said farmers are the national focal point of the potato industry in Fiji and they should be looking at developing the way forward for the industry.
Story by: Akuila Cama
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