[File Photo]

The time has come for the local tourism sector to look within when it comes to the purchase of fresh produce.

This call is being made by Agriculture Minister, Dr Mahendra Reddy, who says with the reopening of international borders later this year, they are anticipating that the tourism sector would return to some sense of normalcy.

He says this is also to offer opportunities for the tourism industry to source fresh produce locally and refrain from the continued importation of fruits and vegetables.

Dr Reddy says we cannot afford to lose foreign exchange through the importation of fresh produce from outside Fiji.

He says they want to ensure that farmers get the opportunity to fulfill demand in the tourism sector.