Fiji’s agriculture sector is currently operating at 20 per cent of its full capacity and has not realised its full potential yet, says Agriculture Minister Dr Mahendra Reddy.
He made the comment during the launch of a newly-introduced pigeon pea (toor dal) variety in Nadi recently.
Dr Reddy urged farmers to take advantage of assistance provided by the ministry as they look to expand the agricultural base in the country.
“There is a huge potential to raise our agriculture sector and we are working on boosting our rice industry, sheep farming, dalo, cassava, duruka, chillies and kava, amongst other agricultural commodities,” he said.
“We are expanding rice production in the Western Division and also urging sugarcane farmers to allocate at least one acre of land towards cultivating rice.”
Dr Reddy said Fiji imported 99 per cent of its lamb meat requirement from outside the country and the ministry was looking to expand sheep production in the country to reduce this figure.
“The ministry is providing fencing materials to farmers who are moving towards semi-subsistence and commercially raising sheep.”
