Potato farmers in Nadarivatu have reaped the fruits of their labour with the first shipment of their harvest bought by Flour Mills of Fiji yesterday.
An elated Permanent Secretary for Agriculture, Colonel Mason Smith, said potato farming in Nadarivatu had come a long way despite the challenges faced over the years.
"We can grow stronger from here on. We've learnt valuable lessons along the way and we’ll be conducting a number of workshops with farmers to chart the way forward for the next potato season,” said Col Smith, who was on hand to witness the first harvest of potatoes.
Col Smith added that Government aimed to reduce the $20million worth of import of potatoes over the next three to four years.
"Buyers have been pleased with our responses. We've co-ordinated our marketing program with Flour Mills of Fiji which has given us implications of sizes and quality of potatoes that are right for chips," Col Smith said.
He added the Ministry of Agriculture was liaising with supermarkets to encourage the sale of potatoes from Nadarivatu. Potatoes are being sold at Lautoka market which recorded good sales while there have been orders from stores in Suva and Nausori.
Col Smith said despite the odds the market was not affected, however the introduction of machines to help farmers readily cultivate land for the next planting season has made him confident that within two years everyone will be able to taste the Nadarivatu potatoes.