In Fiji, the fruit industry, identified as one of the nation's least developed sectors, encounters challenges related to its organization and expansion. During the Fruits Festival in Nadi, Mr. Savenaca Cuquma, Principal Research Officer, Horticulture, at the Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways, underscored the absence of formal systems within the industry. He noted that a considerable portion of the country's fruit production is informal, with fruits typically grown in backyards or found wild, lacking structured efforts to enhance production or quality.
Cuquma emphasized the untapped potential in fruit farming due to the absence of an organized system to maximize production capacity. Nevertheless, he mentioned that the Ministry of Agriculture is actively seeking solutions, including partnerships with development partners to foster sector growth. "We have some bilateral talks with the government of Brazil. We will also be introducing some tropical fruits from Brazil. Also, our Taiwan Technical Missions will be bringing in some sweet oranges and some sweet mandarins. These are all part of developing the industry. And we have also discussed with some commercial farmers how best we can develop the mango industry and the banana industry. These are ways on how we can tap into some of these big ventures," Cuquma stated. Additionally, efforts are underway to research and promote value-added products from local fruits, aiming to create more income opportunities for farmers and stimulate the economy.
Source: FBC News