Support for Taveuni dalo farmers to meet overseas demand
DALO was Fiji’s second largest agriculture commodity in 2023 and it earned $14.3million in export revenue in August last year, said the Assistant Minister for Agriculture, Sakiusa Tubuna.
Speaking at the opening of the Road King Farm Fresh Produce Facility in Taveuni, Mr Tubuna said Australia and New Zealand continue to be Fiji’s largest export markets for fresh and frozen products
“Fiji has the potential to export to bigger markets like China and United States of America,” he said.
“Facilities like Road King Farm Fresh
Produce give the potential for Fiji to compete with international market.”
The Road King Farm Fresh Produce Facility in Taveuni will provide support for farmers to be able to meet international market demand and access requirements.
Owned and operated by 28-year-old Atish Prasad, Road King Farm Fresh Produce is the lone exporter on the island.
It has become a beacon of hope for farmers in Taveuni, providing state-of-theart facilities and a rewarding price for their produce.
Mr Prasad said they would be exporting fresh and frozen produce to 26 different countries on a weekly basis.
“I have a total of 68 staff, majority of these are women. This includes agents,” he said.
He said he buys dalo at $4 a kilo along with cassava and other fresh produce.
“We have a standard of fresh produce which we buy from farmers and they are aware of it.”
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said the facility would benefit not only Taveuni, but Fiji as a whole.
“Through the company’s efforts, the prime products of Taveuni would be tasted fresh on the table of many people around the world,” he said.
The new facility features cold storage rooms, a rest house and a biogass system to supply farmers with organic fertiliser.