President Launches Rice Farmers Awards

Rice farmers will now be rewarded after the launch of Rice Farmers Awards on Saturday.

President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere launched the award at the Fiji Rice Limited office in Labasa.

There will be six categories including the Best Farmer Award; Highest Paddy Supply Per Year Award; Young Farmer of the Year Award; Best Farmer Award for Main Season Supply; Best Farmer Award for Off Season Supply and Best Woman Farmer of the Year.

Rice farmers can start applying for these awards. Application closes on November 15.

The date of the event is yet to be decided because it will depend on the availability of the President.

However, there are plans to have the event in the second week of December.

Rice Farmers Increased

Ratu Wiliame said in recent years there has been a considerable increase in the number of Fijians who have opted for rice farming in Vanua Levu.

“The rice farmers awards is necessary in these times, to motivate, inspire and encourage rice farmers as well as potential rice farmers in further cultivating and developing a lucrative industry,” Ratu Wiliame said.

“I am personally proud of the work the Fiji Rice Limited has done over the years, and the awards categories are to be celebrated as they are inclusive and diverse in its reach, congratulations to the Fiji Rice Limited board, management and staff on the initiative to get these awards off the ground.”

To the farmers he wished them only the very best in their efforts and in vying for these awards as they concurrently contribute to the rice industry in Fiji.

Ratu Wiliame has been in the rice industry for the past 15 years and he had seen how it has grown in the past years. Rice is one of the world’s most significant agricultural products, he said.

“In Fiji, rice has over the years gained the important status as a staple food parallel to that of root crops in many Fijian homes,” he said.

“Currently, Fiji imports an average of 36, 200 tonnes of rice valued at about $37.5million annually.”

He said the annual rice production in Fiji was 7,000 tonnes.

Fiji Rice Limited board chairperson Raj Sharma said the number of rice farmers was about 500 now from only 130 a few years back.

Farmers Thankful

Laqere Tabia Farmers’ Cooperative president Ram Khewal thanked Ratu Wiliame for launching such an award and that the President was one of their very own people.

“We thank the Government for doing so much for the farmers,” Mr Khewal said.

“I am urging the farmers to work hard.”

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