Tavua dairy farmer inspires youth to learn from his success and be innovative

From humble beginnings, Tavua farmer, Vinod Kumar is an inspiration to many as he has transformed what was a small enterprise to now supplying more than 100 litres of milk to the Fiji Dairy Ltd in Ba on a daily basis.

The Ministry of Agriculture says that since 2016, Kumar has been dedicated to building a successful dairy farm, and today, his efforts are reaping impressive rewards.

Kumar’s stock has grown to 78 cows and currently milks 20 cows daily. The Ministry says Kumar's success in building a sustainable farm has allowed him to hire laborers, invest in two milking machines, and purchase calves.

They say he is also planning to buy a tractor for the farm, all funded by his dairy earnings and he hopes to continue milking cows for the benefit of his family.

The Ministry says Kumar constructed a milking shed with his own knowledge and at a cost of $600, which is a point of pride for him.

He plans to transform it into a more advanced and spacious milking shed in the future.

Kumar says you have to be innovative where your passion lies, and building a milking shed in this part of Fiji where dairy farming is scarce is a challenge but he was determined and built it from his own knowledge and it worked.

He says the shed is small for milking at the moment, but just like how everything has to start somewhere, he is thinking of expanding it.

When his milk is not collected, Kumar finds a practical solution by making ghee out of it and in addition to dairy, he is also engaged in sugarcane and vegetable farming; growing crops such as tomatoes, beans, okra, cowpeas, and chilies.

The Ministry says he is also involved in goat farming, showcasing his versatility and commitment to agriculture.

They say although Kumar has not received any assistance, he stands out as one of the highest suppliers of milk in the district of Tavua. Kumar says it is essential that youths strive for excellence and adds that his journey is a shining example of how determination and hard work can lead to success.

He says youths should work hard, and is urging those who have been assisted to make use of it and expand.