Kreetika Kumar 
[Source: HH]
Fiji imported an average of $95.8 million worth of dairy products per year in the last 10 years.
Minister for Agriculture Vatimi Rayalu says the import of dairy products has increased from $70.8 million in 2013 to $138.7 million in 2022.
Rayalu says there has been a nine percent increase in the import of dairy products, with 78 percent of them being imported from New Zealand alone.
He adds that the Fiji Development Bank’s dairy farming loan under the agriculture value chain financing model shows their commitment to the growth of the dairy industry and the welfare of our farmers.
“We firmly believe that through strategic partnerships and targeted interventions like the Daily Farming Loan under the ABCF model, we can create a more sustainable and resilient dairy sector.”
Rayalu says the dairy industry faced a significant challenge due to bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis, resulting in the loss of productive animals, but the farms are gradually recovering.
He adds that they are allowing farmers to invest in modernizing their operations, improving animal husbandry practices, and enhancing milk quality.
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