Acting Commissioner Northern Division Uraia Rainima has been directed to reactivate the rice taskforce to revive rice production up north.

Minister for Rural and Maritime Development Inia Seruiratu made the directive during his visit to Fiji Rice Ltd at Dreketi in Macuata on Wednesday early this week.

He said what Fiji needed to do now was to increase rice production.

“For us now, the imports will be less because of flights so we want to rely now on local production,” Mr Seruiratu said in a Government statement issued this week.

“There’s opportunity for us there.”

He said the Government was still paying a lot of money in maintaining infrastructure, adding this was a very critical time for most production lines.

As part of his scheduled program, Mr Seruiratu visited the rice production mill and also went out to see some rice farms in Dreketi.