Refurbishment of the Vatumali Collection Centre in upper Navosa is nearing completion as the Ministry of Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry moves to revive a facility that had fallen into disuse because of inconsistent farm produce supply. Assistant Minister for Agriculture Inosi Kuridrani inspected the site this week and said the upgraded centre will provide farmers with reliable storage and a dedicated marketing space to better coordinate deliveries and meet buyer demand.
The Vatumali facility previously served growers across upper Navosa but operations slowed when seasonal surpluses and lean periods made supply unpredictable. The ministry’s current approach pairs physical infrastructure with new farm-level measures aimed at smoothing that variability. Officials are working directly with farmers on crop scheduling and coordinated planting so produce is staggered through the year rather than arriving in short, unmanaged bursts.
Extension officers attached to the project will offer training and advisory services on crop diversification and seasonal planning to help farmers adapt to changing market windows and climatic patterns. The ministry also plans to roll out aggregation programs that allow smallholders to pool harvests, reducing individual transport costs and filling volume requirements for processors and larger buyers.
Kuridrani said the revival is intentionally practical: refurbish the centre, strengthen links with buyers and processors, and equip growers with the planning skills to supply those markets consistently. Strengthening market linkages is a priority, he added, with the ministry working to secure steady demand from downstream buyers to make the collection centre a reliable node in the local value chain.
Officials expect the reopened Vatumali Collection Centre to improve market access for farmers across Navosa by providing basic post-harvest storage and a focal point for collection, grading and sale. By consolidating produce and coordinating supply, the project aims to reduce waste, stabilise incomes and increase producer participation in commercial agriculture as a viable livelihood.
The refurbishment comes amid broader concerns over underused rural market infrastructure and weak seasonal coordination across Fiji’s interior districts. If the aggregation and scheduling measures succeed, Vatumali could serve as a model for other collection centres where physical facilities are available but supply-side organisation is lacking. Ministry staff did not give a firm reopening date but said work is in its final stages and planned training and buyer engagement will follow the completion of the civil works.