It’s encouraging to know that bananas are making a comeback in Fiji.
Once a major export commodity to New Zealand, our banana trade hit a brickwall in the early ’70s following cyclones and diseases.
In the 1950s-’60s, the industry was thriving.
Today, driven by collaboration, it is good to note how attention is shifting to revive it.
There is a lot of research work happening behind the scenes by key agriculture stakeholders and development partners to assist in the revival and that is good.
There is a focus on trying to regain a footing in the New Zealand market.
Let’s face it.
Any success in this latest project will pave the way for bigger things moving forward.
It is good to know how much effort is being put into managing diseases for instance.
What will also stand out is the need for us as a nation to diversify given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2021.
At the height of the pandemic, tourism, our major economic driver, hit rock bottom.
As international borders shut down, and air travel virtually came to a standstill, the industry saw a downturn in arrivals.
That effectively took a swipe at industries connected to it.
Thousands of people lost their jobs.
Thousands more were forced to work reduced hours, and thousands more were forced to take leave without pay.
There was great uncertainty, frustration, and fear.
There was a sense of helplessness.
We learnt many lessons from that episode in our history.
It meant there was great danger when we put all our eggs in one basket.
Now as hotels report encouraging numbers, and the powers that be focus on raising our arrivals figures, this talk about bananas is probably just about right!
The key is diversification.
That means ensuring the processes are in place for industries like sugar to be part of the solution for us.
But like bananas, the sugar industry is plagued by massive challenges as well.
The complex issues, however, must be dealt with if we are to see a turnaround in the sugar industry for starters.
So now when we look at bananas, there will be hope for some positive returns as well.
There are challenges though!
We hopefully, have learnt from past mistakes and are clear with what we must do moving forward, and we are better prepared for the future.
The collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture, Navuso Agricultural Technical Institute, and Taiwan Technical Mission is a significant step towards reviving the banana industry.
We look to the powers that be, to make some tough calls for the nation!
