Fiji is on track in securing protocol arrangements with New Zealand, for the importation of better breeds of goats and sheep.
Agriculture permanent secretary Lt Colonel Mason Smith confirmed this should be done this quarter.
Both the Dorper sheep and Boer sheep breeds are selected for their high level of meat production.
They were both developed in South Africa before introduction in other countries.
The Boer goat has a fast growth rate and excellent carcass qualities, making it one of the most popular breeds of meat goat in the world.
They also have a high resistance to diseases, adapt well to hot climates, docile, fast growing with a high fertility rate.
The disease resistant Dorper sheep breed can adapt to a variety of climatic conditions and is one of the most fertile of the sheep breeds.
“This is part of our efforts to increase our goat herds in Fiji and also our sheep numbers in the country,” he said.
“We are hoping that we will be able to consider shipment of these two commodities either late this year or early next year.
“We sent a team to New Zealand last year to discuss with our colleagues at the Ministry of Agriculture in New Zealand and they have come back with a draft proposal.
“The proposal is being examined by veterinary officers and once they are satisfied the minister will be advised accordingly and then we will sign the protocol arrangements.
“The Doper sheep is basically similar to the Fiji Fantastic and is able to survive in Fiji’s climatic conditions and a number of major farms have requested us to bring that in so that they can buy it off us.
“The Boer goat is basically a goat that has two and a half times the meat of our Anglo Nubian breeds and again this is part of the genetic improvements of the herds that we have in Fiji.
“We are hoping that by the end of this year or early next year we will be able to make another shipment of these livestock.”
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