FIJI RICE LTD PLANS TO INCORPORATE SMARTER VARIETIES

The Fiji Rice Limited (FRL) in a collaborative meeting with the Assistant Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister (OMP), Sakiusa Tubuna discussed plans to incorporate smarter varieties of rice to enhance yield capacity.

FRL board chairperson, Raj Sharma, said this was a key point of discussion with Mr Tubuna, on the way forward for the company.

The Government delegation headed by Mr Tubuna met with the FRL Labasa office staff and board members on Saturday.

Mr Sharma said smarter varieties with high returning yields would immensely reduce the cost of production, generating better profits. He assured the support of the FRL board and management for all Coalition Government initiatives planned for rice production programmes.

For all existing programmes, Mr Sharma commended the Government for its continuity plans. Addressing food security concerns and enhancing production of a stable local rice market is a top agenda for this Government, said

Mr Sharma.

“During the COVID-19 lockdowns, the agricultural sector picked up the momentum in supply of food produce where other sectors were struggling,” he reiterated.

Meeting

Mr Tubuna was briefed by the Fiji Rice Limited board members in Labasa on Saturday on the future plans they had visioned for the company.

“It was basically a briefing on the

FRL ongoing activities, challenges faced and opportunities they expected to create,” he said. Mr Tubuna said the Government continued to emphasis on Agriculture and rural development to encourage growth.

He said food security is an important agenda of the Coalition Government and FRL plays a key role in meeting these needs.

The meeting also enabled him to converse on potential developmental opportunities for FRL with Government’s support.

The operations of the FRL now fell under the public enterprises section in the Coalition and the Prime Minister’s will handle these department.

The Government delegation also visited the FRL Dreketi Mill and the Coconut Millers team in Savusavu last Saturday.

Assistant Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Sakiusa Tubuna, being briefed on the operations of the Fiji Rice Limited Dreketi Mill on January 7, 2023.