A Labasa-based farmers’ cooperative this week received a brand-new rice harvester from the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises and Communication, Hon. Manoa Kamikamica.
Founded in 2017, the Wailevu Cane Farmers’ Co-operative Limited (WCFCL) began as a small initiative by the 13 members united by a common goal: to alleviate the financial strain brought about by traditional cane harvesting.
While sugarcane remains the backbone of their operations, the cooperative members have seen to it that they embrace diversification. Utilising land that was once exclusively adorned with sugarcane, the farmers now boast wetlands home to flourishing rice fields.
This transition, however, brought about new challenges. Harvesting ripe rice requires timely action, as delays can result in significant losses. Recognising this, WCFCL has continued to invest in solutions that support efficient farming practices.
The cooperative’s efforts received a major boost in the 2023/2024 financial year when the Ministry of Agriculture, through the Integrated Human Resource Development Programme, contributed to the procurement of new machinery.
The total project cost of $99,500 was shared between the Ministry and the cooperative, with $66,333.33 provided by the government and $33,166.67 from the farmers themselves. This investment introduced a Paddy Master Harvester and its implements, significantly improving the cooperative's efficiency.
With the new machinery, WCFCL has set its sights on enhancing service delivery, reducing costs, and increasing its harvesting capacity.
The initiative is also creating employment opportunities as the cooperative expands its operations, benefiting not only its 13 members but also close to 30 neighbouring farmers who rely on its services indirectly.
Sharing his thoughts with the farmers, DPM Kamikamica said the Coalition Government has continued its efforts to intensify the cooperative movement and also the micro, small and medium enterprise movement.
“Your efforts are an encouragement not only to yourselves but to the whole of Fiji to look at business opportunities, and where the cooperative model makes sense, we encourage our people to participate.”
“As a Ministry, we have noted an increase in the request for mechanisation, which makes sense when you explain some of the challenges that are now being faced by industry, and one is an ageing farming population.,” said DPM Kamikamica.
“We hope that that will change in years to come as we try and make farming more interesting but more importantly, you have shown something that the Government is currently looking at, which is how to continue to deal with the sugar industry but also look at other ways of developing other crops.”
“You already have a diversified model when it comes to cropping, which is excellent to see and it's good that you have looked at diversification as a means to continue to remain in farming generally.”
“The handover of this machine, I'm sure will assist with the quick harvest of the rice crop and ensure that your challenges as you quite well articulated are addressed.”