Good news for rice farmers as the Fiji Rice Limited in a recent board decision announced an increase in the rice paddy price effective immediately.
The company has secured a contract with the Fiji Sugar Corporation and decided to pass the benefits on to the farmers.
Mill General Manager, Ashrit Pratap, says the new market will mean an increase in sales.
“Our paddies are in three grades. Grade 1 used to be $750 so we have increased it to $800, Grade 2 used to be $700 and this has been increased by $50 which is now $750 and Grade 3 used to be $650 but now it is $700.”
The Fiji Rice Limited is providing 196, 900 tonnes of rice to all farmers in Vanua Levu with sales increasing by over $275, 000.
There are currently two hundred and thirty active farmers, however, Pratap says the benefit will be passed to any rice farmer who supplies paddy to them.
