Sujita’s Hobby Blooms Into A Profitable Entity
Only a lucky few get the chance to convert the thing they love doing most into a paid and full-time job. When Praveena Sujita got the chance to do just that after joining the Suva Orchid and Horticulture Circle, she grabbed the opportunity firmly with both hands. The mother-of-three has always been intrigued by flowers. The compound of her Koronivia, Nausori, home has almost fully been turned into a garden. Nurseries and greenhouses are the first things visitors see when they arrive.
In 2015, she was one of the many recipients of the Government Micro and Small Business Grant (MSBG).
She used the funds to purchase fertilisers and pots for plants. “Business has been blooming – so much so that I have had to import a lot of my plants,” Ms Sujita said, adding that her next batch will be imported from Holland. “I used to own two clothing stores but closed them to start a horticulture business.
“It has been more rewarding for me.”
It is estimated the horticulture sector employs as mainly as 51,000 workers, which is 15 per cent of the total labour force in Fiji. Ms Sujita is looking to expand her business. She sells plants ranging from species like the bougainvillea, lace leaf and orchids. “One day I want to transfer my flowers to a small shop,” she said. “Right now I have one staff member working for me but once I expand I will be creating more jobs for people in the community.”