Field day for farmers
A COCOA field day was held at Naivicula Village in Wainibuka to demonstrate to farmers in the area on the importance of following the correct agricultural practices.
In a story published by The Fiji Times on March 18, 1988, officials from the Agriculture Department visited the farmers in the area to elaborate more on different farm practices and its importance.
The one-day event was staged for 20 farmers from the villages of Naveicovatu, Nasau and Naveicula in the tikina of Naloto.
The field day, which combined lectures and field demonstrations was run by a task force which included staff of the Department of Agriculture and the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) based at Wainibuka.
During the day, Agriculture Department staff members taught farmers the finer points of managing a cocoa plantation to boost the production of the crop. The focus of the officers was on the crop cocoa because it was a quick-cash earning crop that was easy to maintain.
These lectures conducted included pruning, deshading, black-pod control and fertiliser application.
Department of Agriculture staff, Sainivalati Cobu said the field day was a result of the previous year’s successful application of the correct cultural practices by growers in Naveicovatu in their old plantation.
“We proved to the Naveicovatu farmers last year that old cocoa plantations which they thought were not worth looking after and have been abandoned can be brought back to bear fruit and bring a fruitful return,” he said.
“Last year, Naveicovatu farmers were producing about one ton of dried cocoa beans per hectare which was very good.”
Mr Cobu said that if all Naloto farmers followed everything that was taught to them, the Agriculture Department would be looking forward to seeing more dried cocoa beans coming out of the tikina.
He also mentioned that the record 121 tonnes of dried cocoa beans were produced by Tailevu farmers in 1987, and 32 tonnes were produced by the Naloto farmers.
“We believe that there is plenty of potential to increase production to about 40 tonnes. This can only be achieved by following the correct cultural practices.”
During the field day, a YMCA rural worker for Wainibuka, Viliame Tamani, presented farmers of Naivicula Village with a mist-blower, fertiliser and agrochemicals worth about $1200.
Mr Tamani said YMCA had been giving mist-blowers and other farm materials to cocoa growers in Wainibuka in an effort to help farmers manage their plantations and help boost production.