Mollyn Nakabea 
[Photo: Fiji Meat Industry/FACEBOOK PAGE]
Proposals to merge the Fiji Meat Industry Board and the Yaqara pastoral company were raised by the Standing committee on Public Accounts as concerns were highlighted over the livestock supply.
Standing Committee member Alvick Maharaj questioned the possibility of the two entities merging, given the ongoing discussions on supply consistency.
“What are the thoughts of making two boards under one, so that supply demand chain is always maintained, because there has been talks for past couple of years that we need to bring these two entities under one banner”
Standing Committee member Sachida Nand questioned the board on vertical integration saying it could be efficient for both entities.
“Yaqara traditionally supplies the livestock to FMIB for slaughtering, they don’t slaughter their own, but there are some of the activities that are prescribed by the legislation that Yaqara can do, you can’t, you can’t operate a butcher, Yaqara can’t operate a butcher, Yaqara can’t slaughter, you can slaughter, you can value it, but you cannot sell to the end consumer.”
Fiji Meat Industry Chief Executive Apenisa Rokodaru agrees vertical integration could improve operations; however current legislations remain a restriction.
“We’re currently reviewing our legislations, which puts a lot of restrictions on this. So, probably it’s something that we can also consider when the review of the Act for FMIB to actually open up those opportunities and definitely on the integration between the two entities.”
Nand adds that the proposal could help both entities reduce costs and increase profitability.
