This is not just about butter, but it is about affordability, accountability, and innovation - Maharaj

If the goal is to keep essential items affordable while boosting local industry, then we need to think outside the box, not defend the status quo.

This was highlighted by Opposition Member of Parliament Alvick Maharaj while responding to the remarks made by Members of Parliament, Sachida Nand and Alitia Bainivalu, regarding his earlier statements on the increased price of Rewa butter, which he says affects every Fijian household.

Nand had earlier called out his former FijiFirst colleague, Maharaj, to speak with facts in Parliament before urging Maharaj to take time to understand the subject properly and conduct thorough research before making such comments in the house.

Maharaj says Nand accused him of speaking without facts, but he says he assures the people of Fiji that he is not only speaking with facts but also offering solutions.

Maharaj adds that this is not just about butter, but it is about affordability, accountability, and innovation.

He says Nand has stated that Rewa Butter is imported from New Zealand and simply repacked here.

Maharaj says this is exactly the problem, as we are still dependent on imported butter when we have a local dairy industry crying out for support.

He says if the cost of importing raw materials has increased, then why is the government not supporting Fiji Dairy Limited to use locally produced milk for butter production?

He adds that this is the question that Nand conveniently avoided.

Maharaj says it is either we believe in supporting local industries or we continue to hide behind import bills and excuses.

Maharaj further says that with the Price Subsidy Mechanism, the government can implement a targeted subsidy for essential dairy products like butter, just as it has done with fuel or electricity, and this can shield consumers from global shocks without distorting the local market.

He says in terms of Tax Incentives for Consumer Benefit, the government can provide temporary corporate tax breaks to companies like Fiji Dairy Limited on the condition that they pass on the savings to consumers in the form of lower retail prices, which he says is not new economics, but smart economics.

Maharaj says currently, importation is limited due to Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (BAF) restrictions on dairy product sources, and asks if prices in New Zealand are too high, why aren't we reviewing BAF regulations to allow importation from other safe and certified countries.

He says our trade policy must evolve with global realities.

He says Fiji has regional trading partners like Uruguay, India, or parts of Europe, where butter can be imported at more competitive prices.

Maharaj says if we are going to talk economics, we have to talk about liberalising markets to benefit consumers.

The Opposition MP says if Nand is so confident in economic principles, then he should support a policy framework that incentivises local butter production using raw milk from our own farmers, creates value chains that retain profits in Fiji, and reduces our import dependency and builds food security, a matter this government often claims to prioritise.

Maharaj says facts must never be used to justify inaction, as the issue here is not whether Rewa butter is imported, it’s whether this government has the will to change that.

He says Fiji deserves a proactive government that supports local production, shields its people from inflation, and adapts its laws and trade policies to modern challenges.

Maharaj says rather than dismissing valid concerns with lectures, he invites Nand and the Government to join them in crafting solutions that empower our farmers, protect our consumers, and ensure that butter and dignity remain affordable in Fiji.