Coconut Millers Invests $70k In Concrete Pavement Storage Area

President Ratu Wiliame Maivalili Katonivere opened a newly constructed concrete slab of storage area at the Fiji Coconut Millers in Sa­vusavu on Friday.

The pavement will boost con­fidence among farmers and the company to meet the food grade requirements.

Ratu Wiliame described the con­crete pavement development as a milestone achievement and it would help the company achieve its hazard analysis critical con­trol point, which was a require­ment of food grade products.

This certification monitors the entire process from harvesting to production and will mitigate the dangers of any food borne dis­eases.

Board Chairman of the Organi­sation, Raj Sharma, said the new pavement ensured safety and hy­giene.

“We are now investing in our mills, to ensure that we have a deep collaboration with our farm­ers and buyers,” he said.

In the last eight months, they had undergone various develop­ments with the support of the shareholders and Government.

The pavement was an invest­ment of around $70,000 with as­sistance from the Government.

The company also purchased a new generator worth $80,000.

Mr Sharma said the Government continued to assist copra farmers to earn reasonable income.

This led to an increase in the copra price per ton from $1000 to $1350.

He acknowledged the Ministry of Economy and its Minister Ai­yaz Sayed-Khaiyum for the budg­et allocation which aided in this increase.

The Government has helped fund six farmers with coconut dryer machines worth upto $40,000.

A copra farmer, Dan Loabuka, appreciated the development.

The 34-year-old from Naweni Vil­lage, said the business thrived in recent years and it was because of the developments and partner­ship between the Government and Fiji Coconut Millers.

He owned a ten acre coconut plantation.

Mr Loabuka said the copra har­vesters would now work in a healthy environment.

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