Totoya Group Praises Government’s Timely Assistance

Youth club thriving on organic virgin coconut oil production.

A youth group from Totoya has praised Government for its timely assistance.

The Totoya Organic Producers Network is a youth club from the Southern Lau group formed after an organic virgin coconut oil training in October last year.

The club’s president, Tauyavu Matakitoga, on behalf of the 22 members received the grant assistance from Government through the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

He said their project was an empowerment project and the assistance would speed up the processing of organic VCO.

“We are so thankful to the government for supporting us,” he said.

“In Lau, the source of income is very difficult. Now that there’s no more beach-de-mer, we depend on coconuts.”

They received an electrical scrapper and generator worth $2249.

“We have been using the manual coconut scrapper and now that we have the electric scrapper, our work will be faster than normal,” he said.

The club members have also been registered for organic certification with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) to get access to the VCO Australian market.

“Since our market is ready, the only thing left is for us to start with the processing of virgin oil,” Mr Matakitoga said.

“Our samples have been approved and once I get to the village, we will start with the business.”

He highlighted that the weather was one of the main challenges they faced.

“Coconuts have its seasons, so our project will depend on that too,” he said.

He returns to the island on the next ship to Totoya.

“Once I get to the village, we will not waste any more time,” he said.

The grant assistance was handed to him by the Minister for Youth and Sports, Laisenia Tuitubou, at their headquarters in Nasoqo House, Suva.

Edited by Naisa Koroi

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