TLTB rejects landowner claims over Nakelo poultry farm

The iTaukei Land Trust Board (TLTB) has rejected claims by traditional landowners that a poultry farm in Vunivaivai, Nakelo, Tailevu is operating on their reserve land.

It described the allegations as “misleading and inaccurate”.

The dispute came into focus after landowners staged a peaceful roadblock at the entrance of a farm operated by Goodman Fielder International (Fiji) Pte Ltd on March 4, 2026.

The landowners claimed the land belongs to them and produced legal documents to prove it. They are now calling for fresh negotiations and insist the company should not continue operating without their agreement.

However, TLTB said the claims do not reflect the true legal position of the land.

“These claims are false and misrepresent the facts,” the TLTB said in a media statement.

TLTB explained that in the 1950s, only part of the land was officially set aside as reserve, while the remaining portion was already under lease. It said the area used by the poultry farm falls outside the reserved land.

The TLTB also referred to a 2011 High Court case where the same issue was challenged.

The court ruled in favour of TLTB, confirming that the lease was valid and that proper consultations were carried out with the landowners before it was issued.

“The land under the lease does not fall within the iTaukei reserve,” TLTB stated.

“The lease granted in 2003 remains legally valid and that landowners have been receiving lease payments over the years.”

Despite this, the landowners remain firm. They said the issue has not been fairly resolved.

They continue to push for new talks, highlighting the ongoing tension between legal rulings and the concerns of customary landowners.