Fiji is earning around $110 million in export earnings from four agricultural products with kava still being our biggest earner.

Agriculture Minister, Dr Mahendra Reddy says while kava is at the top of the list, it is interesting to note that turmeric is now third on the list.

Dr Reddy says kava exports stand at $42 million, followed by dalo at $30 million and turmeric at $22.9 million.

He adds that the ministry wants to establish more coconut farms in the Western Division in order to take advantage of the increase in the price of copra in the export market.

Dr Reddy says from 2019 to 2021, Fiji exported to Australia, NZ and Malaysia, fresh coconut and coconut products worth $14.8 million, adding they have seen a nine percent growth in the coconut industry.

“These are the top four crops that we are exporting in large amounts and production has sufficiently increase over the last three years given the infrastructure development, public infrastructure development and the support leverage we have given to the farmers.”

The agriculture minister also informed Parliament that the ministry has recorded a substantial growth in the rice farming sector.

He says the ministry is certain that the volume of rice in Fiji will increase to 22 percent by the end of this year, and this means that the rice importation bill will also be reduced.