Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama today continued his familiarisation tour of the various agricultural offices and stations in the central division to oversee the work undertaken by the Ministry.
The head of government visited the Agriculture Marketing Authority (AMA) and the Koronivia Research Station to see firsthand the services and products that the Ministry of Agriculture offers to Fijian farmers.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by the Minister for Agriculture Inia Seruiratu and senior officials from the ministry.
Minister Seruiratu said the purpose of the visit was to show the Prime Minister the potential in the agriculture sector and the assistance that is still required by government as in the case of the Agriculture Marketing Authority projects.
“If there is a need to move agriculture forward, then we need to build on the capacity structure of the Ministry, resourcing of the departments and off course look at the contribution to our Gross Domestic Product,” Minister Seruiratu said.
“There is huge potential in agriculture and even the World Bank Poverty Report notes that there is a high incidence of poverty in rural Fiji,” Minister Seruiratu said.
“If we fix agriculture, it lessens poverty in Fiji.”
PM Bainimarama also visited Kaming Agro Export Limited and Ben’s Trading yesterday in Navua.