The Ra Provincial Council has backed calls for farmers to diversify into alternative crops as rural communities adjust to the closure of the Penang Sugar Mill and rising cane transportation costs.
Council chairman Kiniviliame Salabogi said farmers needed to explore commercial opportunities beyond traditional sugar cane farming, supporting Assistant Minister for Justice Josaia Niudamu’s call during the national budget debate for greater investment in crops such as dalo, kava, cassava and coffee.
Mr Salabogi said farmers were now looking at expanding these activities on a larger scale rather than limiting production to small household farms.
“In regards to dalo and kava, we are looking at venturing more into these forms of farming on a larger scale,” he said.
He said rising costs associated with transporting cane, particularly from areas such as Nalawa to Ba, had reduced returns for farmers and encouraged them to seek alternative sources of income.
The shift towards diversification is already gaining traction, with coffee farming expanding in Ra through initiatives such as Onna Coffee’s investment in Rakiraki and surrounding villages.
Mr Niudamu said Ra’s agricultural future depended on a managed transition towards high-value crops, including coffee, cowpea and beans, which could strengthen food security, create jobs and provide new income opportunities.
He said Government and partner organisations would continue supporting farmers as they adapt to changing conditions in the agriculture sector.
