A group of farmers in the Western Division can now produce rice from their farms.
This, after the Ministry of Agriculture donated portable rice mills to four farmers from Lautoka, Nadi and Ba.
The machines were handed over to members of the Lautoka Rice Farmers Cluster, the Nabila Rice Farmers Cluster and Tunalia Rice Farmers Cluster from Nadi and the Namau Rice Farmers group in Ba.
Minister for Agriculture Mahendra Reddy said a major drawback for rice farmers was the lack of milling facilities closer to them.
“We’re very pleased to see the response from farmers with respect to our promotion on the need for more rice cultivation in Fiji, to all these areas that are moving into rice production for their own consumption, we will come and give you a portable rice mill,” he said. ”
The question that these farmers ask is where will we go to mill our rice?
“And that is why we are providing a portable rice mill so that you no longer have to travel long distances to get your rice milled and ready for consumption.”
He said it was the ministry’s aim to provide each settlement or farmers’ cluster that was cultivating rice with their own portable rice mill.
“This is so that you don’t have to pay high transportation costs to get your rice milled and also be subjected to pay commercial rates to get your own rice milled at the large mills.”
Nabila Rice Farmers Cluster member Taumanu Kode said they were fortunate to receive a new portable rice mill.
“Our cluster will work together and will do our best to continue to contribute in terms of moving the rice industry forward by increasing our area of cultivation and our production levels,” he said.
