A farmer in Sovi Bay, Sigatoka who had a thriving business for almost 20 years, has resorted to selling produce by the roadside.

A farmer in Sovi Bay, Sigatoka who had a thriving business for almost 20 years, has resorted to selling produce by the roadside.

Fazal Mahmood Khan was assisted in setting up his farm by the Taiwan Technical Mission agriculture project.

Due to the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Harold and the COVID-19 pandemic, Khan’s business has taken a nosedive.

Khan says he used to supply direct to a supermarket, but has been facing production issues and hopes for better days ahead.

“Before the COVID 19 came the hurricane came in, the hurricane destroyed everything so it went a bit slow but its picking up again”

With the help the Taiwan Technical Mission, he has planted pineapples, sweet corn, pawpaw, long bean and even keeps livestock on his 12-acre farm.

“TTM they come and visit me once a week, they come and see what’s on the ground, what is the problem sometimes, there are problems like a disease they come and tell me what disease should I spray or what fertilizer should I put, they give me a lot of advice from that”

Horticultural specialist Kevin Liao says Khan is one of their outstanding farmers with a thriving guava plantation.

“I can say that he is the first farmer to start to plant guava in Fiji and I also can say that Faizal is the biggest commercial guava farmer”

Khan is currently in talks with nearby resorts and more supermarkets where he can supply more of his goods to and also keep his family business afloat.