RUDRA Nand stood in front of his nondescript tiny shed and flashed us a smile.
His bright pink shirt and orange shorts almost clashes with the bright yellow sign board behind him.
For more than a year, the sugarcane farmer has been selling barbecue at this tiny shed on the roadside at Raravatu in Rakiraki.
His friendly nature is what stood out about him.
He sells barbecue chops accompanied by sausages and a boiled egg for a mere $5 to any passerby.
A good choice given the number of travellers who drive past.
His is the only barbecue stand you can see if you’re leaving Tavua and heading towards Suva.
“I switched to selling barbecue because my sugarcane farming wasn’t doing too well,” he shared.
“The saltwater was encroaching on to my land which affected my sugar cane. As a result I had to do vegetable farming and open my barbecue stall to supplement our income.”
The father of three has worked in different places whenever it was slow season for their sugarcane farm.
One of which was Nananu-i-Ra Resort where he worked as a gardener and handyman for 16 years before he decided to retire.
“My mother and sister worked at the resort too. I started as a gardener and then handyman.
“I used to walk two kilometres to Ellington Wharf and catch the boat to the island — for 16 straight years,” he said.
“I started in 1997 and left in 2014 because the daily travel just took a toll on me but my wife now works there as a housekeeper, it’s a family affair,” he grinned.
As for his barbecue business, Mr Nand gets his supply of cassava and meat from the market before he begins preparation for cooking. When we caught up with the farmer, he was busy peeling the root crops with his nephew, Pranay.
“Because it’s the dry season and there’s no work — I have to find other means to make money.
“This time it’s very hard, there’s no mill in Rakiraki and we have to go straight to Ba and Lautoka after harvesting our sugar cane,” he shared as he swiftly cuts and peels the cassava.
“I open my barbecue stall from 4pm to 1am, sometimes 2am. The income varies but it helps me and my wife.
“I love the countryside and I am a strong supporter of FijiFirst (party),” he said before giving us a thumbs up.
