The Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways is committed to maintaining the quality and purity of the Fiji Red Papaya.

This has been highlighted by Principal Agriculture Officer West Kasanita Ratu who was part of the 30 extension officer refresher training on papaya quality held at the Nacocolevu Research Station in Sigatoka.

Fiji Red Papaya is a Hawaiian variety introduced to Fiji in the late 1960s, and Fiji is the only country in the world that has maintained the genetic purity of the Hawaiian variety, as most countries have lost this variety.

She says that training focused on the issue of papaya seeds, seedlings, and the deterioration of the quality of Fiji Red Papaya.

“So it’s very important for us as technical officers when we advise our farmers to be well versed with all these agronomic, practices. It simply goes back to the basis of our extension services and believe this will be the beginning of the many more technical training that we will have here in the Western division”

Ratu adds that part of the training was to share knowledge and follow the procedures to ensure good-quality papaya is produced to support both export and domestic markets.

Meanwhile, the ministry’s nursery operators and farmers will also undergo similar training.