TOURISTS are deprived of a genuine Fijian experience when hotels pack their kitchens with imported food ingredients, said the Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama.
He highlighted this issue while speaking at the National Agriculture Show in Valelevu yesterday, where more than 60 artisans and government stakeholders came to showcase the services they provided.
Mr Bainimarama said international events held in Fiji should be a platform for farmers to supply their farm produce to hotels.
While attending the regional forum in Nadi, he said he was curious about how much of the food served in the menu were locally produced.
“As for farmers who are here with us, you will all benefit from it as well, these meetings bring visitors to Fiji and many more, more demand for the produce you grow, I am confident those benefits can be even bigger,” Mr Bainimarama said.
“Whenever I am at these hotels and convention facilities, I think about how much of the food is grown in Fiji and how much is imported. I think about how we can better leverage that balance to your advantage.
“When hotels in Fiji pack their kitchens with imported ingredient, our economy is not only derived of economic bonus, our guests are deprived of a true Fijian experience.”
The show ends tomorrow.
