Kreetika Kumar 
Agriculture significantly boosts economic growth and provides essential livelihoods, food and nutrition security, and employment.
This has been highlighted by Permanent Secretary for Agriculture Ministry, Dr Andrew Tukana, during the closing series of short workshops last session that was held in Lawai Village, Nadroga.
Dr Tukana says the workshops are essential as we must ensure that our agricultural production is market-driven, and markets need to be secured before our production activities are implemented.
He states that the Gross Domestic Product for 2023 was $10,846.4 million, with the non-sugarcane sector contributing $759.3 million, an increase of 6.9 percent.
He adds that while our local production and tourist arrivals are rising, climate change and rural urban migration are pressuring farmers and stakeholders to perform ecologically to meet domestic and export market demands.
Vandhna Shiwangni from Vinesh Exporter mentioned that the workshop offered valuable educational insights, encouraging growers and exporters to expand their farming efforts.
Vinesh Exporters has been operating for three years and exports fresh produce to New Zealand weekly.
They export vegetables such as eggplant, pawpaw, curry leaves, turmeric, ginger, okra, and mango.
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