Demand For Locally-Grown Batiri Oranges Increase This Year
There is a huge demand for Batiri oranges as a result of climate change and the maintaining of plants at the Batiri Farm.
Despite the pandemic, the demand is still there and local people enjoy the juicy taste of Batiri oranges.
Food Processors (Fiji) Limited has supported Batiri farmers who harvest the locally grown oranges and it has been selling well.
Sales Manager, Rohit Prasad said 102, 000 Batiri oranges were picked last month.
“Batiri oranges are supplied from Batiri Farm located in Vanua Levu. Altogether, 29 people were involved in harvesting Batiri oranges. The people involved were from Batiri Village and Vunivere Village,” he said.
Mr Prasad said Batiri oranges are sold at $3 pack at the Suva municipal market.
“Our sales team gets orders from the Suva Market and all leading supermarkets to meet the demand from people,” he said.
“Customers can easily reach a supermarket to purchase Batiri oranges.”
He said the supply of Batiri oranges from Batiri Farm had been in abundance and Batiri oranges were still available in the following supermarkets;
- R B Patel Supermarket
- Nayans Supermarket
- Taras Supermarket
- Newworld Supermarket
- Fresh Choice Supermarket
- MaxVal-U Supermarket
- Extra Supermarket
- Tabara Supermarket
“This year, rehabilitation of the Batiri Farm is being done and as a result, the team managed to harvest oranges easily,” Mr Prasad said.
He encouraged Fijians to consume local Batiri oranges because it tasted juicy, sweet and contained Vitamin C.
Batiri oranges in Labasa.
“It keeps us healthy and is also available at road side stalls,” he added.
“To expand the local market for Batiri oranges, we encourage people to buy more locally grown for a healthy lifestyle.
“For orders, customers can call senior sales supervisor, Arneel on 9995074.”
Food Processors (Fiji) Pte Limited is planning future planting and at the same time, creatr employment in Vanua Levu.
Meanwhile, Suva market vendor, Asinate Ginigini is happy to sell Batiri oranges. She has witnessed that a lot of people buy these oranges and have loved it.
“Batiri oranges are from Labasa and the dry weather conditions has helped in the sweetness of these local fruits,” she said.
Ms Ginigini said she bought five bags of Batiri oranges from Food Processors (Fiji) Limited on a daily basis.
“Before we sell them, we check the bags to make sure that there is no rotten oranges inside the bag,” she said.
“We pack the oranges into mesh bags and we pay $60 for one sack and sell it for $3 a heap in the market.”
She said Batiri oranges had been here for a long time. She had been selling since she was a kid.
“I was happy to see Batiri oranges sold in the market and so are the customers,” Ms Ginigini said.
“Batiri orange is a favourite local fruit that we all grew up eating as kids.
“As Batiri oranges are now in season, we plan to keep selling them at this time of the year.”
She said customers usually bought Batiri oranges during hot days.
Ms Ginigini is a sole bread winner in her family and has been selling in the market for more than 20 years.
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