Grammar student calls for increased export of local foods to boost economy

The government should increase the export of local foods such as fish, ginger, dalo, kava, turmeric and others because of its demand in the international market which will bring in more foreign exchange.

This was a suggestion made by one of the students of Suva Grammar School during the National Development Plan consultation at their school.

The student says this initiative will attract foreign investors to our country which will promote development and encourage more people to join the agriculture sector.

He says better and more agricultural opportunities may minimise the rural-to-urban drift as people will be occupied in farming ventures and earning through it. Ministry of Finance Senior Economist, Kamal Gounder says the government is exporting local products which will benefit the economy and create employment for people in interior and rural areas.

Gounder says the National Development Plan focuses on 38 sectors such as education, health, electricity, poverty, infrastructure and others, to provide better facilities and services to the people.

More than 200 students participated in the consultation.

Meanwhile, Goundar says that as at the 10th of March, they consulted 11,189 people for the National Development Plan.

Public consultations will continue this week in the Central, Northern, and Eastern Division.