Business

Ministry plans to reduce lamb meat import

January 2, 2022 4:20 pm

[File Photo]

The Ministry of Agriculture is working to reduce the import of lamb meat and increase local production in the next financial year.

This is also aimed at reducing our import bill.

The Ministry will be focusing on the expansion of livestock farming by having mass sheep multiplication, breeding more sheep and distributing them to farmers around the country.

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Agriculture Minister Dr Mahendra Reddy says the Ministry is now investing in farmers who want to expand their livestock farms but are unable to do so due to a lack of facilities.

“We are importing 99 percent of the lamb meat that we consume in Fiji. Now what we are saying is if we are able to expand sheep growth and simultaneously goat then goat will also substitute lamb meat consumption”

Dr Reddy adds that Fiji has a suitable climate for livestock pasture.

The Agriculture Ministry will be providing fencing materials to 600 farmers to assist them with their farming initiative.