The Fiji Meat Industry Board has seen a decrease in the number of animals brought into the abattoir which has caused a low return for the industry from 2011 to 2021.
While presenting the Fiji Meat Industry Board 2015 to 2017 Annual Report to the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs today, Board CEO Vimal Chand says this is because more farmers are into subsistence farming rather than semi-subsistence or commercial farming.
He says the effects of this have trickled down to their production level, with abattoirs only opening for slaughter for 2 to 3 days per week.
He adds that 30,000 animals are needed to pass through the abattoirs per year to ensure they break even.
The CEO says they are also in consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture which has been promoting the need for farmers to move from subsistence to semi-subsistence and commercial farming.
He says they are also working with the Ministry in reviewing the Fiji Meat Act.
