Fiji looks into setting up a palm oil industry

Fiji held a successful meeting with Malaysian investors yesterday to set up a palm oil industry in the country.
 
Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Industry and Trades Saipora Mataikabara said that the meeting has been fruitful as investors had shown positive interest to help the people of Fiji generate income through palm plantations.

She said the core land area investors are looking at this to begin their business and achieve economies of scale is 30,000 hectares of land and he does not see any problem with that given that Fiji has a land bank with the department of land.  

She said the investors are not only looking at bio-fuel, they are also looking at other downstream processes, to use the product from palm oil for other things and this is an opportunity for Fiji to generate income and attract more investments in Fiji.

She added investors had already identified some land in Lomaivuna for this particular project.

Meanwhile, Fiji’s Acting High Commissioner to Malaysia Suliasi Lutubula said this project will create employment opportunities for locals, especially in rural areas.  

Plans are also underway to train local engineers in Malaysia.  

One of Malaysia’s leading construction groups, IJM Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer Velayuthan Tan said he was confident that things would work out.  

The ministry is looking forward to facilitating the requirements of investors.

Palm oil is something that has never been planted in Fiji on a large scale.

 
Story by: Sneh Chaudhry