Fruit cropping thrives
FARMERS who used to grow mainly rice at Natuvu in Macuata on Vanua Levu were getting promising results from fruit crops, stated an article published in The Fiji Times on October 3, 1972.
Trials were done at the Agriculture Department’s Seaqaqa Research Station.
Results showed citrus and pineapples grew successfully in the red talasiga soils in the area.
Apolosi Tevui and son Wate, who had farmland of 69 acres, were closely followed in this trial work at Seaqaqa.
With help from local field officer Manikam Naidu, they planted citrus and pineapple plots.
They were the only independent iTaukei farmers in the area where commercial farming took place.
On their 69 acres of shrub-covered land, they farmed six acres of rice, one acre of citrus and one square chain of pineapples.
Mr Naidu emphasised the need for good management of the new crops.
“Well-prepared suckers provide the best planting material and we now recommend double-row planting with 2-ft between the rows and 3-ft between double rows,” he said.
“Plants are spaced about one foot apart within the rows.
“This gives 17,400 plants per acre and production should be 15 to 20 tonnes per acre.
“Good weed control and the use of fertilisers are essential.
“We recommend 11 pounds of mixed NPK fertilisers per 25 plants, applied three times a year.”
Wate and his father had a small, flourishing citrus orchard and had planted seven varieties to see which fared best under their conditions.
The seedlings, originally obtained from Seaqaqa, were now two years old and looked well.
Wate said they had to plant carefully, use fertilisers, water regularly and lay a straw mulch.