The government of Fiji is currently exporting $11 million worth of fresh and processed ginger annually to Australia, but it has expressed its goal to increase this to $25 million in five years. Minister for Agriculture, Mahendra Reddy, stated: “We can do that, but progressively less not rushing in no pumping subsidies to get the production without subsidies are pulled out. So let’s build progressively on a sustainable agricultural practice and we can get to the $25 million mark with that.”
He said Kava exports at the moment stood at $60 million annually. “We have a brand name in certain crops for example, outside Fiji, they want Fijian ginger outside Fiji, they want Fijian ginger, in Australia, but there’s all kinds of other equation of protection of Australian farmer that is keeping our ginger exports floor at a lower level.”
He said the government did not want to build a agriculture sector based on unsustainable practices. “We need to keep ginger very clean from day one. We need to ensure that farmers have full information and we’re getting procedures for production that these are the cost scenarios,” he said.
Source: fijisun.com.fj