Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has visited the La Cohiba Cigar Factory in Havana, Cuba to learn more about cigar production during his official visit to the country.
Bainimarama says the government is looking at innovative ways to increase the production of tobacco as it is only a small fraction of Fiji’s agriculture sector.
He says Fiji has the potential to do tobacco farming on a large scale and Fiji needs the right knowledge and skills to further boost the agriculture sector and also for improved livelihoods.
Bainimarama witnessed first-hand the manual production of cigars and was also briefed on the harvesting processes.
He says it’s amazing how these workers make cigars without using high-tech and advance technologies and the end product is of high quality.
A total of 247 employees work at the factory, majority of whom are women.
The Prime Minister also visited the Colonial Habana museum to learn more about Cuba’s history.
The museum has materials of ancestral Cubans thousands of years ago and also samples of battle ships.
He also met with with locals, particularly school children.
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