The inaction of the previous government has led us to what we are doing at the moment.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Manoa Kamikamica stated this in reply to the Leader of Opposition, Inia Seruiratu on what are their priorities and if there is any specific sector or market for them to broaden Fiji’s economic base.
Kamikamica says in fact, some of the initiatives that the Coalition Government has undertaken in less than two years, the previous government did not do.
He says there is no secret that right now there is a laser focus on commercial agriculture and aquaculture.
The Deputy Prime Minister says in terms of private sector engagement, Seruiratu will be aware that Fiji Water is actually on the ground now in Fiji acquiring land for commercial agriculture.
He says the exciting thing about that initiative, is that it will lead to commercialization of some of our crops because they have expertise in trees, like mango, papaya, for import replacement, and then for export.
Kamikamica says in terms of aquaculture, they are setting up, hopefully, a project very soon to focus on scaling up the prawn industry.
He says the prawn industry in Fiji imports $21 million per annum and is growing.
