Goat Farmer: $1000 Set Strong Foundation
Karan plans to increase his flock size to 30 goats.
It is easy not to notice the work of livestock farmers while enjoying a bowl of goat meat roasted over a fire or whipped up in curry.
Avikash Karan, 35, a livestock farmer in Navua, moved to Viti Levu after his land lease in Labasa expired a few years ago. A bowl of goat curry at an event or a party means an income and food on the table for farmers like him and their families.
He started with three goats in 2015. In the same year, his mother successfully applied for the Micro and Small Business (MSBG) Government grant. Mr Karan runs the business alongside his mother, who is currently visiting the family’s hometown in Labasa. With the funds, they bought material to build a fence and a shed for his goats. The contoured shed allowed him to breed more goats and increase his flock size to 18.
“The $1000 set a strong foundation for us to start with and now we sell large goats for $200 to $300 each,” he said. Income from his business helped the father-of-three acquire ducks and even expand his cash crop farm.
In at least two years, he hopes to increase his flock size even further to 30 goats. While the damage caused by Tropical Cyclone Winston in February 2016 proved costly, he said the family had managed to pick up the pieces since then. “People come from all the way in Suva to buy goats from us,” he said.
“Business is slow but we managed to get by. I think our secret is that we never gave up and planned our business very well.”
Business is slow but we managed to get by. I think our secret is that we never gave up and planned our business very well