Copra Millers of Fiji has purchased new machines and upgraded equipment for a new venture.

It is working to produce food grade coconut oil for human consumption.

Minister for Agriculture, Dr Mahendra Reddy yesterday commissioned a new hot air Copra dryer, a dehusking machine, deshelling machines and a new coconut storage shed.

Dr Reddy says the hot air dryer, valued at $74,000 will enable the company to purchase new copra in large scales and dry it faster and efficiently.

This will provide ease to those farmers who are not able to supply dry copra.

The dehusking and deshelling machines have been brought in to address the manual labour shortage in the industry.

Dr Reddy says Fiji imports 17,000 tons of vegetable oils valued at $20 million.

By introducing coconut oil as cooking oil, he says we are targeting to reduce the import by 5 percent.

Copra Millers of Fiji General Manager, John Deo says they are slowly diversifying and will ease the heavy reliance on crude oil and move into food grade coconut oil.

Deo says they will be introducing the new edible oil product in January 2020.

The total cost of the machines is $300,000 whereby half was provided by the government and the other half by Fiji Development Bank.