Shania Shayal Prasad 
Source: MOA / Facebook
Rural and maritime farmers are facing serious payment problems under the Agricultural Marketing Authority system.
This has prompted calls for urgent changes.
Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Waterways Inosi Kuridrani states the current payment arrangement does not work for farmers in remote areas.
During visits to farming communities in Vanua Levu and meetings with AMA staff and Copra Millers in Savusavu, Kuridrani says farmers raised ongoing concerns.
These include weak mobile network coverage, delayed transfers and system failures. M-PAiSA was identified as a major issue.
He said many farmers must travel to towns just to check their payments. This creates added costs and hardship for families.
“Agriculture cannot move forward if our farmers are left waiting, changing the payment system to suit rural communities is not just a convenience but a necessity for fairness and sustainability.”
Kuridrani said most rural farmers still relied on cash. They need it for food, school fees and daily expenses.
He adds that digital payment systems alone are not practical for all communities.
Kuridrani said he Agricultural Marketing Authority must review its payment process.
He reiterated that farmers must be paid on time, fairly and in ways that suit their realities.
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