What began as a vision by the late Ram Karan in 1987 has grown into a major poultry producer, establishing Karan’s Farm as the leading duck supplier for Fiji’s Central Division.
Now, under the leadership of his daughter, Ashika Karan, the ten-acre livestock hub houses up to 20,000 ducks and 800 chickens, and two employees who oversee the farm’s operations.
The operation is organized to ensure a steady supply of meat, with pens partitioned into three phases, breeding, selling, and hatchlings.
“The ducks are divided into three stages, one for breeding, another for selling, and lastly for ducklings,” Ms Karan said.
The farm’s impact extends deep into the community through a unique clientele. Despite its scale, the business remains focused on live sales.
“We only supply livestock because we don’t have a slaughterhouse.”
“We sell to Imams, Arif Halal, and we also have a table at the market, and likewise, we also sell from here at the farm.”
Her commitment to poultry farming did not go unnoticed; last year. She was honoured at the Women in Agriculture Symposium for her role as the largest duck supplier.
Despite rising costs, the farm offers some of the most competitive rates in the industry, with prices from $15 to $30 depending on the bird’s sex.
However, market dominance comes with high expenses, Ms Karan highlighted that the scale of the ten-acre plot requires significant capital to stay afloat.
“We need like $4000 weekly for this business to run.”
