The Department of Agriculture is finalising a memorandum of understanding with the Peoples Republic of China to establish mushroom farming in Fiji.
Agriculture permanent secretary Colonel Mason Smith said that $10million had been earmarked by a Chinese investor for this project and the result was promising.
“We have done a market survey and based on that survey the viability of the project was presented to the Chinese interest.We have a very good understanding of what has been imported, what has been used by the hotels and what has been used by our local people,”he said.
The Agriculture Department head of research Miliakere Nawaikula said the initial project location would be Legalega in Nadi.
“The project is at its final stages and we had prepared its MOU. Now it’s gone back to the Chinese Government and they are looking at it. Up till now there has been a positive feedback from China,” Ms Nawaikula said.
“The initial set-up at Legalega will involve a training facility and five varieties of mushrooms will be used in the program and they will involve various farm groups.
“ We will form farmer groups where we will take out the technology. These farm groups will be trained at the centre and they will take the knowledge out to their various districts.”
Ms Naiwaikula adds that five varieties of mushrooms will be used and all will be brought from China.
She said mushrooms have been cultivated in Fiji before and the department will wait to see if some of these varieties were the same as those already here in Fiji.