Business

Minister calls on farmers to plant rice

August 20, 2020 4:40 pm

Cane farmers are being urged to plant rice since 83% of locally consumed rice is imported.

Cane farmers are being urged to plant rice since 83% of locally consumed rice is imported.

Speaking during the Rice Field Day in Nawaicoba, Nadi Agriculture Minister Dr Mahendra Reddy says on average Fiji spends $42.6m on rice imports.

“Fiji was 66% self-sufficient in rice now 17% so we have gone down substantially from 66% to 17%, we want to go back up. I want to go back to 80% or 90% and we can do it.”

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Dr Reddy says cane farmers can greatly assist the rice industry in achieving self-sufficiency and at the same time earn extra cash.

He suggests small portions of cane land can be used to plant rice.

There are at least eight rice farms in Nawaicoba.