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RESHMA Kumar started her seafood business in the midst of the pandemic with a $600 loan.

She currently operates a successful business ‘Fresh Water Supplies’ that supplies seafood to 13 resorts/hotels in the Western Division.

Prior to opening her business, Ms Kumar used to work for a firm that also dealt with seafood, however, the business closed during the pandemic.

“I did not had any jobs for four months. I took a loan of $600 and started my small scale businessbuying and selling fish. Then I focused on supplying seafood to one particular resort and from there I have gone into supplying to 13 resorts now,” she said.

The Lautoka-based entrepreneur said she started her business in June 2020 and initially she used to ask money from people in order to rotate her business.

“During the first year financials, I got a figure of five digits and right now I am looking around seven digit figures already,” said Ms Kumar.

She said although her husband had been involved in the business, she was the one who handled the core business operations.

“My business has grown really fast and the reason behind it is that I have a concentrated business and I know the market and the potential of its growth because Fiji’s tourism industry was diversifying.”

Ms Kumar highlighted certain challenges in her business.

“If the weather is turbulent, the divers would not be able to get the stock needed to meet the supply.

“With the ban on Beche-de-mer harvesting lifted, the divers were concentrating on harvesting Beche-de-mer because it was easier to harvest when compared with catching fish or lobsters.

“The buying price of seafood shot up post pandemic. Previously we were buying lobsters I between $35 to $40, however, we are now buying the same product in between $60-$65.”

She said despite all the challenges, the demand for local seafood had increased, thus the need to have several sources/suppliers.

“We try to make sure that about 90 per cent of our demand are always met, 10 per cent might be let down or try to meet the 100 per cent demand every week.”

Ms Kumar said the huge influx in tourist numbers since the opening of our international borders caught her by surprise.

“We did not expect it to this fast, the tourists numbers has been really good and our orders has been rising.

“We used to supply around 50 kg seafood items per resort but now we are supplying in between 600 kg to 700 kg seafood items per resort.”

She said around 50 workers were working for her in the daily running of her business.

“We have divers, people on the deck, warehouse and other employees as well.

“We need to fish smartly and in a sustainable manner. We are losing species as many species in the sea are getting extinct.”

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