Plans to setup smallholder dairy farms

With Fiji only producing 11 million litres of milk a year when the consumption total is at 77 million litres, plans are underway by the Agriculture Ministry to set up smallholder dairy farms with the 16,000 sugar cane farmers in the Western Division.

Agriculture officers are already working on submitting proposals for the construction of collection and chilling centers in the West where milk will be collected and stored before it is supplied to the factory.
 
The Western Division makes up a small 10% of the total commercial dairy farms in Fiji but has 51% of total subsistence dairy farms according the 2009 DOA Agriculture Census Report.

Senior Livestock Officer (Western Division) Napolioni Seru said many farmers in the Western Division have indicated their interest to invest in smallholder dairy farms and the Ministry is encouraging farmers to start small and build up slowly as they gain experience and confidence.

He added they were confident that sugar cane farmers will pick dairy farming quickly as the majority already has their own cows and which they will contribute positively to increasing local milk production to reduce imports.


Story by: William Waqavakatoga