Fiji imported $42.6 million worth of rice last year which is equivalent to around 40,000 metric tonnes of rice.
This was highlighted by the Minister for Agriculture, Dr. Mahendra Reddy as he announced a national rice assistance package targeting a wide cross-section of the community.
Dr. Reddy rationalized the program as being one that would ensure Fiji gradually achieves self-sufficiency in rice production.
He highlighted that with rice being a staple food source and being widely consumed by every household in Fiji, it was an essential commodity, therefore requiring the Ministry’s upscaling of assistance to ensure improved yield and production.
Dr.Reddy says about 8,000 metric tonnes of rice is produced and consumed locally and historically, Fiji has achieved around 66% self-sufficiency of rice production, so they know it can be done as the agro-climatic conditions in Fiji are exceptionally favourable for rice cultivation.
The Minister stated that a total of 24,000 acres of land was required to achieve 100% self-sufficiency for rice with 2 crops per year; an achievable aspiration that would require unity to achieve at the earliest.
He says to achieve this, the Ministry of Agriculture will implement the following strategies which include providing up to 30KG (for 1-acre farms) rice seeds to every sugarcane farmer. Assistance on milling their rice for home consumption will be provided through small portable rice mills close to their area when the rice paddy is ready for milling.
Up to 30KG (for 1-acre farms) rice seeds will be provided to every non-sugarcane farmer. Assistance on milling their rice for home consumption will be provided through small portable rice mills close to their area when the rice paddy is ready for milling.
Dr. Reddy says Rice seeds will be provided to all 1,100 villages for community-based rice farming. The seeds are to be provided following a signed commitment by the village headman, the amount of rice seed to be provided will be equivalent to the population size of the village, that the village attend short training on rice cultivation, that the village allocates a dedicated communal land and appoints a dedicated “Rice Growing Cluster”.
