Following questions raised by farmers on what assistance is being provided to those affected by floods and heavy rain, the Ministry of Agriculture is advising farmers to visit their respective Agriculture Offices. Farmers have raised concerns that their farms have been destroyed due to flooding and seeds have been washed away in the heavy rain. Farmers say they had planted some off-season vegetables but it was all washed away in the heavy rain and floods, and now they do not have any source of income. While responding to questions by fijivillage News, Permanent Secretary for Agriculture, Doctor Andrew Tukana says farmers should visit their respective Agriculture Offices for advice on how they can be assisted.
He says officers can then go to farms for verification before assistance can be provided.
Dr Tukana says damage assessments are normally done after bad weather conditions and assistance is then provided.
Minister for Agriculture, Vatimi Rayalu had earlier assured farmers that assistance would be provided and said they had no choice but to assist.
Meanwhile, fijivillage News has also seen that prices of vegetables have significantly increased where a bundle of eggplant is about $5, a bundle of long bean costs as much as $15, and a bundle of bhindi costs about $6 while other vegetables such as pumpkin, jackfruit, cabbage and tubua cost between $4 to about $9.
