The rice revitalisation programme is running smoothly and there are good times ahead for the industry in the North.

This was the comment of Principal Agriculture Officer North John Cox at the Northern Agriculture show in Labasa yesterday.

He said we must understand Rice farming is a business and every business must make a profit. This is one of the challenges they are facing.

The Agriculture office will work towards ways to maximise from the dynamics of the environment they are in.

“It is a matter of survivability and rice farmers you have to strategise well in order to survive because there is competition in Fiji especially with other players who are interested.”

Mr Cox said there is competition now in the rice industry and it’s happening everywhere.

Assistance

He noted that Government provides a lot of assistance to farmers.

“Government of the day is working to revitalising the rice industry.

“We are looking at various expertises to come into the North and at the same time looking at introducing new technologies and farming systems.

“We can improve the production level also the improvement of genetics so that we can have a higher and better yield,” he said.

Mr Cox highlighted that they are trying to make more land available so that a lot of farmers can utilise it for rice farming.

“Government is doing all it can to revitalise the industry,” he said.

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