Fiji is importing $46.2 million worth of rice every year, says Minister for Agriculture Dr Mahendra Reddy.
He said there was a need to redouble efforts to grow more rice in order to reduce the significant import bill of buying rice from overseas countries.
“There is no reason why Fiji should continue to import rice from Thailand or Vietnam,” he said.
“We can grow it here, our climatic condition is good.”
Dr Reddy said the ministry had three varieties of rice which could be grown throughout the year.
He said Fiji was operating at 17 per cent self-sufficiency in rice production.
“It is in our national strategic interest that we raise this self-sufficiency given the importance of rice in our household foods we should raise it to at least to 80 per cent.
“In agriculture today, working on your farm should not be seasonal.
“You can grow crops throughout the year.
“That is why we are promoting growing rice grains in the West so we can become closer to becoming self-sufficient in this sector.”
He made the comments while addressing farmers at Madhuvani, Rakiraki on Tuesday.
