Fiji Rice Pte Ltd and the iTaueki Land Trust Board (TLTB) yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will assist in the coordination of lease arrangements for landowners and tenants.
The MOU is also targeted at providing support for resource owners to venture into rice farming.
Fiji Rice Ltd CEO Mukesh Kumar said the main objective of the MOU is to have a close partnership between stakeholders, in particular the TLTB, to exchange ideas and information, and where necessary share data to ensure effective service delivery to farmers in the industry.
“We are focussed on the development of rice farmers in the country, particularly with iTaukei landowners,” Mr Kumar told this newspaper.
“So through the TLTB, we have identified lands and landowners and we will work with them in this area.
“We’re also enhancing capacity building on rice farming for those identified landowners, so there is some level of awareness too on the industry.”
Mr Kumar said FPL had done the same on Vanua Levu where it is working with landowners in Vunivutu, Yalava, and Tabia in Macuata, and in Nabua, Savusavu.
He said they had also identified 400 acres of land in Tailevu.
“Now, we want to focus on identifying areas for rice production in Viti Levu.”
He said the main objective behind the initiative was to grow Fiji’s rice production and eventually lower reliance on imports.
Fiji Rice produced 1300 tonnes of rice in 2023 and 1700 tonnes this year.
He said they were targeting 4000 tonnes in the next two to three years.
As of last year, there were 650 rice farmers in the country, and with the MOU, Mr Kumar said they hoped to add another 100-150 farmers to the list.
“We’re working with all our stakeholders on this initiative and we’re advising farmers to take advantage of this time to plant more rice because this is the right time to plant and make use of the weather now.”
