More rice farmers apply for help: Chand

There is an increase in the applications for the Ministry of Agriculture rice farming planting grant for the 2025 season.

Fiji Rice Limited (FRL) chief executive officer, Mukesh Kumar, said the response had been great compared to previous years.

“Lot of farmers showed interest and applied for the planting grant,” he revealed.

283 applied across the country for this planting grant which is an increase of an additional 130 more farmers.

With added awareness on female farmers to access this Government grant this year, Mr Kumar said a reasonable 46 female rice farmers had applied.

Rice seedlings must be planted from November 1 2024 to January 31, 2025 for a planting grant to be approved.

The ministry underwent a few rice farming training programs around the country with focus on encouraging iTaukei farmers to join the industry.

This interest among the iTaukei farmers grew following the increase in the ton paddy price from $850 to $1000.

Mr Kumar said the assistance would help to reduce the high cost of farm inputs for rice farming.

FRL had received an additional allocation of $150,000 in the 2024/2025 financial year from Government to distribute to capable farmers via the planting grant.

The FRL introduced an 80 per cent rice paddy supply requirement from farmers to them which aimed at maximising rice production.

Permanent Secretary for Civil Service, Parmesh Chand also shared that it is important that landowners and village communities engaged in rice farming.

He shared this during a visit to Wailevu, Labasa earlier this year because of the lucrative prices it offered compared to other cash crops.

During the planting grant application process, 57 iTaukei farmers showed interest and applied.

Mr Kumar said to reduce the country’s rice import bill, it remains priority that more farmers join the rice industry and sell at commercial scale.

Fiji’s rice import bill stood at $60 million with current self-sufficiency at 17 per cent.

To improve the local rice production, FRL also concentrated to increase production in Viti Levu which produced fewer tonnage than Vanua Levu.

No misuse of grants, merit selection

Mr Kumar assured that there would be (no) misuse of the planting grant by any farmer selected.

“We are working very closely with the ministry of agriculture staff in monitoring the program,” he said.

Mr Kumar said they had a supply chain officer who performed the verifications on the ground before any payments were released.

“During the selection process we include the Principal Agriculture Officer and his staff so farmers are selected on merit for the grants,” he added.

Guidelines for planting grant

Three categories of assistance: small, semi-commercial and commercial farmers.

• Minimum rice farm area of 1 acre with each acre given $300 as planting subsidy.
• Small scale farmers (1-5 acres) would receive maximum two acres support ($600)
• Semi-commercial farmers having between 5-20 acres farming land would be given planting subsidy for five acres ($1500 total).
• Commercial farmer having more than 20 acres would be assisted on maximum seven acres ($2100)

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