Business

Farmers endured COVID-19 challenges

September 26, 2021 5:24 am

A good number of farmers in the highlands of Naitasiri have lost thousands of dollars during the lockdown period.

This as significant volumes of their produce go to waste.

Nagone-ni-colo District representative, Waisale Lasekula says commercial farmers in the area have endured a lot of challenges trying to make ends meet by transporting and selling their produce at the Sawani border with very little profit.

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He says now, the bizarre is no more thanks to the lifting of the Sawani border.

“We are now slowly going back to some state of normalcy in terms of business productivity. Vendors usually leave their villages every Friday or Thursday to travel to the Suva or Nausori market.”

Commercial Farmer, Aseri Koroulu says the limited movement during the lockdown period poses challenges such as obtaining farming equipment for these young farmers, however, their resilience kept them going.

“We have been camping in our farms during the lockdown period. We were unable to procure additional farming tools and seedlings but we just use whatever resources we already have.”

Lasekula believes the adherence to the COVID safe measures imposed by the Health Ministry will continue to benefit Fijians.

“We are really happy and it’s our cooperation towards the COVID mitigation strategies put together by the government that has to enable us to bounce back on track.”

The pandemic has motivated some unemployed youth from Naitasiri to return to the village and till vacant land for sustenance.

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