Fiji Coconut Millers will soon start a pilot program that will see coconut farmers receiving government assistance to clean their farms.

Company Board Chair, Raj Sharma says their research has found that 35 percent of the nuts that fall on the ground are not picked up because of bushes.

Sharma says they want the farms to be clean so that all nuts are picked and production is maximised.

“So, once they clean these bushes, they can cultivate and plant dalo and all those things as a sustainable way to keep the farm clean as well as grow some business.”

$75,000 was allocated by the government in the national budget towards this program.

20 percent of the cost of cleaning the farm will be paid by the farmers and the Fiji Coconut Millers, through the government assistance will pay the remaining 80 per cent.

[Source: Fiji Coconut Millers PTE Limited]