A $250,000 investment into an organic farm in Macuata has seen European markets open up for products grown alongside the Dreketi River, Fiji’s deepest waterway.
The joint venture between local and New Zealand investors called Kahuna Herbal, is primarily focused on exporting vanilla, noni juice, noni powder, noni honey and other agricultural products.
The Dreketi-based company is the brainchild of Labasa businesswoman Doreen Robinson and Kiwi couple Martin and Jenny Sandifer. The company was the first in the North to export to Germany.
And first off the production line for the small factory that sits on 352 acres of freehold land is noni powder.
Mr Sandifer, who once worked for the Ratu Mara government, said noni powder was in demand with international pharmaceutical firms that made medicine out of it.
“We have also exported dried vanilla to Germany, this we buy from villages on Vanua Levu,” he said.
“We can sell as much as we can get our hands on and supply our customers in Germany.
“So we are also economically empowering the locals and that’s why I came back to Fiji because I believe in helping locals.
“This factory has also employed villagers from Dreketi who take income back home to support their families.”
Mrs Robinson said the exports to Germany was a big plus for Fiji.
“We have been exporting noni juice to China, New Zealand and Australia but not on a regular basis,” she said.
“But now with more machines imported we are able to produce more products and export to our clients overseas.
“Right now we are working on organic certification. We will grow our own noni and other agricultural products and vanilla by early next year.”
