Barbados, India genetics eyed to cut Fiji’s sheep and goat meat imports

Discussions are underway to import high-quality genetic bloodlines from Barbados and India to enhance local sheep and goat production, boosting Fiji’s meat self-sufficiency.

Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Tomasi Tunabuna told this masthead that he plans to make Fiji a self-sufficient lamb and goat meat-producing country.

During his trip to Barbados last year, Mr Tunabuna engaged in discussions on how to import or transport high-quality genetic material from Barbados to Fiji.

“What we are trying to do is to improve the local genetic lines of local sheep and goats with high-quality lines imported from overseas to enhance meat production,” he said.

Mr Tunabuna said the local sheep and goat meat industry, once enhanced to its full potential, had the capability to reduce millions of dollars in lamb and goat meat imports.

“We have been discussing improvements to our genetic lines for goats with the Government of India,” he explained.

“This is still discussion in progress; we have to finalise all the agreements.”

While he believed local sheep breeds were reasonably good in Fiji, Barbados offered ways to improve these breeds to reach their maximum production potential.

To further understand how other countries have developed their sheep production, Mr Tunabuna plans to travel to New Zealand in due course.

Mr Tunabuna indicated the ministry would assist in establishing some large-scale sheep farms in Vanua Levu to boost production for local markets later this year.

Ministry works to enhance technology transfer

Mr Tunabuna said Fiji needed to bring its technology and capacity for artificial insemination and embryo transfer up to standard.

“The ministry is working towards enhancing these technology and methods,” he said.

The ministry had a collection centre for semen and efforts were underway to enhance its capacity.

Mr Tunabuna said his experience as the director for animal health within the ministry helped him understand that if Taveuni could be self-sufficient in beef and lamb meat, other regions could also follow.

“We want to make Vanua Levu self-sufficient with sheep and goat production, reducing dependence on Viti Levu,” he said.

Vanua Levu had ample beef stocks and imports from Viti Levu were fewer, but sheep and goat meat products were regularly brought in to meet demand.

“While I understand Vanua Levu exports a lot of goats to Viti Levu, understanding how these local breeds could be transitioned into sellable supermarket products remains an area of focus,” he added.