Sigatoka farmers with experience in commercial vegetable production will benefit from the donation of an excavator, a Sany SY75C, worth $124,998 to Tians Harvest Pte Ltd.

The excavator was provided as part of the Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways Farm Mechanisation programme, which required the farmer to pay a third of the cost and the ministry to fund the other two-thirds.

Farm owners Tian Ruige left a notable impression because of his farming methods and positive influence with his workers.

Tians Harvest Pte Ltd is based at the Sigatoka Valley Road’s Barara Settlement.

He is the main vegetable supplier to Wishbone and other restaurants, intermediaries as well as the municipal markets in Nadi, Lautoka, and Suva.

Line minister, Vatimi Rayalu, said Mr Tian had shown the Fijian people, especially those in the province of Nadroga, how large-scale production is efficient for this kind of business.

“I hope Fijians will learn from your farming methods in the future. I expect to see more enterprises like this established around Fiji in the coming years,” he said.

The equipment will be of great assistance to Mr Tian and other local farmers who would require excavation labour to boost agricultural production.

Mr Tian cultivates a variety of crops, including chinese cabbage, english cabbage, capsicum, cucumber, lettuce, coriander, tomatoes, long beans, and spring onions, on his three registered farms, which have a total of 45 acres.

Mr Tian intends to help farmers in the neighbourhood, village, and adjacent communities with drainage and other excavation projects.

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