A FAMILY from India is sharing their agricultural experience with a community in Nadi to boost and upskill farmers.
Bajwinder Singh from Punjab, India, and his father, Gurdeep Singh, brought about $100,000 worth of farming implements to Fiji in the hope of acquiring land for farming.
They live on a rented property at Nawaicoba in Nadi. According to Mr Singh, his family had started preparing land on the property.
He also expressed interest in bringing Indian labourers to assist local farmers. He said the move would help local farmers develop their farming skills.
“We don’t have land at the moment,” he said.
“We have applied for three iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB) leases and for one of the leases, they told us after two to three months that it was not possible, but we are still waiting for the remaining two,” he said.
Fiji Cane Growers Association general secretary Bala Dass, who is also a prominent member of the Nawaicoba community, said anyone who brought in farming implements and wanted to help local farmers should be welcomed.
“I’ve actually had a chance to meet with the family,” he said.
He said different stakeholders who made machinery available for hire also boosted competition and allowed farmers to choose whoever they wanted to rent equipment from.
