KADAVU Provincial Council members yesterday discussed the idea of declaring Fiji’s most southerly province an organic island.
The motion was passed and agreed by members of the provincial council in their first day of meeting at the Suva Civic Centre yesterday.
Chief guest at the opening of the meeting Rokoseru Nabalarua said that for the island to be declared organic, there was a need to consult the government to map out plans for restrictions on the use of fertilisers, pesticides, burning and other modern methods of farming on the island.
Mr Nabalarua, a son of Kadavu and the chief executive officer of Fiji Water while speaking to members of the council meeting said for this to happen, there was a need to map out plans and ideas to achieve their targets and produce certified organic foods.
He said with the idea in place they would be able to meet certain standards required to export food abroad.
Some district representatives said they needed more awareness on the issue before it would be declared an organic island because most people did not have enough of an idea of what organic means.
Mr Nabalarua said Kadavu was known for its resources, however, there is a need to look at such plans as research he had earlier conducted revealed that certified organic foods were much more expensive than non-organic foods.
The idea will be further discussed at the second day of the meeting today.
