Company highlights industry challenges
THE year has been good for Fiji Rice Ltd and there are plans to increase investments in more farm projects to supplement the current level of production.
Company general manager Ashrit Pratap said they planned to set up a small rice flour machine, dryers and collection centres on Viti Levu as progressive expansion to Viti Levu.
Mr Pratap said they also planned to set up a rice mill on Viti Levu, provided the production was sufficient.
“The year was good in terms of weather. We had rain throughout the year.
“The supply was good at the mill and we had increase in supply and very encouraging the increase in supply was mainly from Viti Levu,” he said.
He said the company also started largescale farming and harvested about 100 tonnes by the end of the financial year and are expecting more harvest in coming months.
According to Mr Pratap Fiji Rice Ltd also has some major challenges with one of them being old age farmers.
Mr Pratap said the company had limited number of machines which meant they couldn’t supply to all the farmers.
“Rice farming is done in a timely manner where there is a planting time and harvesting time. So all the farmers target to plant at the same time and expect to harvest around the same time.”
Mr Pratap said despite the challenges they had achieved some of their plans which included:
■ We have constructed a new Dreketi office;
■ roll out farm projects under rice development program in five locations – 40 acres in Bua, 50 acres in Tabia, 20 acres in Navidamu, five acres in Qawa and eight acres in Vunivuto;
■ Construction of warehouse in Dreketi – expected to be completed by end of March 2020;
■ Sold two Nausori properties;
■ FRL received four tractors with implements and one excavator from Government through Japanese government aid;
■ Recruitment of internal auditor – to strengthen company process and procedures;
■ Upgraded the mill and the silos; and
■ Bought own harvester.