The plea of rice farmers in Dreketi to have a storage facility for their products have been answered after the Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum opened a new warehouse facility for Fiji Rice in Dreketi.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Sayed-Khaiyum says food security is very important and more so after the COVID-19 pandemic which has brought to light the need to be self-sufficient.
He says Fiji imports more rice than we produce locally and there is an opportunity for local producers to produce more which is why they are working with Fiji Rice to ensure its success.
In the 2020-2021 National Budget, the government has allocated $800,000 to be paid to farmers directly for their paddies.
Fiji Rice Chairman, Raj Sharma says for the past two years farmers had been wanting to have a storage facility which the company has been able to deliver through the assistance of the Government which contributed $100,000.
Sharma says $5.2 million has been provided by the government in the past eight years as a grant subsidy to farmers which has been used to pay them for their paddies.
He adds they have also provided $688,000 as a capital grant to Fiji Rice and there has been an upgrade of infrastructure worth $1.5 million.
The event was also significant as Fiji Rice signed a memorandum of understanding with HFC Bank to provide farmers with loan packages of about $3000 to $10,000 with an interest rate of 5%
The Attorney General applauded the bank, which along with Fiji Development Bank, had come on board to assist farmers.
He says it is good to see a 100% Fijian Bank is working with Fijian farmers.
He also handed a certificate to Fiji Rice for employing one person under the Government’s Stronger Together Job Support Scheme.
