Fiji Rice Pte Ltd and the iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB) recently entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at improving lease arrangements between landowners and tenants. The agreement also seeks to encourage resource owners to engage in rice farming.
Mukesh Kumar, the CEO of Fiji Rice Ltd, emphasized that the primary goal of the MOU is to foster closer collaboration among stakeholders, specifically the TLTB, to facilitate the sharing of ideas, information, and necessary data, ultimately enhancing service delivery to farmers within the industry. He reiterated the commitment to support the development of rice farmers, particularly among iTaukei landowners.
Fiji Rice Ltd has previously initiated similar efforts in Vanua Levu, collaborating with landowners in areas such as Vunivutu, Yalava, and Tabia in Macuata, as well as Nabua in Savusavu. The company has also earmarked 400 acres of land in Tailevu for rice cultivation. The current focus is on finding more suitable locations for rice production in Viti Levu.
The initiative aims to boost Fiji’s rice production and reduce the nation’s dependence on imports. In 2023, Fiji Rice produced 1,300 tonnes of rice, with projections of 1,700 tonnes for the current year and an ambitious target of 4,000 tonnes within the next two to three years. Currently, there are 650 rice farmers in the country, and with the MOU, Kumar hopes to increase that number by adding an additional 100 to 150 farmers.
Kumar encourages all stakeholders to leverage this opportunity to plant more rice, highlighting that the current weather conditions are ideal for cultivation.
This partnership not only underscores a significant positive step towards enhancing local agricultural production in Fiji but also promotes food security and the empowerment of local farmers, which can have long-lasting benefits for the community.
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