Seedlings arrive for The Wonderful Company's major agriculture project in Vanua Levu

More than 7,000 seedlings from California will be nurtured in Waiqele, where a newly built greenhouse propagation facility has been established as The Wonderful Company, parent company of FIJI Water, reaches a major milestone in its agricultural development plans for Fiji.

This pilot will focus on growing Persian limes, Mexican limes, lemons, and papayas, marking the beginning of a long-term investment in Fiji’s agricultural sector.

Last year, agronomists from company visited various parts of Fiji and discovered that Vanua Levu offers the climate, soil and land access to grow high-quality citrus, mangoes and papayas.

FIJI Water confirms today, those findings are taking root after two years of planning.

Over 3500 seedlings have arrived already, and the rest is expected to arrive by the end of this month.

For the people of Vanua Levu, the project represents both an immediate boost and a long-term investment.

The company says communities will benefit from employment and development, while consumers across Fiji will have greater access to fresh and locally grown produce in future.

A greenhouse engineer from China was on-site, to assist with construction of modern infrastructure to ensure the young plants thrive in their crucial early stages.

They have hired a Farm Manager from Vanua Levu to oversee day-to-day operations with the National Agriculture Pte Ltd (NAPL) team.

The Wonderful Company with its ambitious agricultural ventures and decades of experience cultivating citrus, almonds, pistachios, and pomegranates on a global scale, is bringing that expertise to Fiji that will build partnerships with local farmers and generate economic activity in Vanua Levu.

This year, their beekeeping experts conducted hands-on beekeeping workshops, sharing their expertise in bee biology, hive management and pest and disease management to local beekeepers in Nadi and Labasa.

There will be ongoing training, hands-on demonstrations provided to local farmers that aims to support the Fijian Government’s wider goals to equip farmers with practical skills and improved techniques needed to enhance the agriculture industry.

FIJI Water says by reducing Fiji’s dependence on imported fruit, this initiative will help create a new pathway to reduce trade deficit and strengthen local food security.