Minister for Agriculture, Doctor Mahendra Reddy has urged landowners in Nadogo to utilise their land for farming rather than leaving it idle.
While handing over farm machinery to Kilikoso farmers today, Dr Reddy says people of Nadogo have a lot of land and most of it is not utilised.
He says expiry of leases has also seen a lot of ideal agricultural land for rice and other crops lying idle.
Dr Reddy says idle land does not benefit any party and is a cost to the nation.
He adds if it was utilised, farmers, labourers, households, business sector, landowners and the country would be able to get a return.
The Minister says we need to save an average of $42 million annually which is now spent on rice imports.
Dr Reddy says Nadogo is known to have available resources that are conducive for large scale farming and production figures could increase if farmers fully utilise their resources and implement sound farming practices.
Dr Reddy says he has spoken to landowners and they are keen to give their land but find iTaukei Land Trust Board slow in processing the leases.
