PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 11:46 AM by Tevita

Company opens door for veggie farmers
Story by the Ministry of Agriculture

Saturday, February 07, 2009

From: Fiji Times

While hundreds of farmers around the country are still coming to terms over the loss of their income caused by the recent floods, the story is different for Navua farmers.

They are full of joy following an announcement that a local company was willing to buy their vegetables for export.

The Navua-based Company Kaiming Agro Processing Limited (KAPL), has successfully established overseas markets for local chillies and is calling on farmers to produce more to fulfil the export demand.

KAPL managing director Kaiming Qiu said there was a huge demand for local crops in the overseas market and farmers should take advantage of the opportunity by increasing their local production.

Mr Qiu said farmers should grow more cassava, dalo, ginger and also chillies for export.

The company needs about one tonne of chillies a month for export, around 800 tonnes of cassava, 300 tonnes of dalo and 50,000 dozen bundles of rourou in a year.

The company is offering $0.45-$0.50 for a kilogram of cassava, $4 a kg for red fire and bongo chillies, $0.90-$1 a kg for dalo and $5 for a dozen bundle of rourou.

"I prefer farmers to supply me with pink and yellow skin cassava since they are of good quality and optimum for export," Qiu said.

Currently KAPL buys most of its cassava from Rakiraki and Tailevu but he insisted the farmers of Navua to take advantage since a market was at the doorstep.

"In an acre a farmer can produce 18 tonnes of cassava and for every tonne he or she can earn up to $450 per year or $8100 per acre in one year.

He said chillies should be picked at matured stage since it would be exported frozen.

"It is very easy to cultivate these crops whereby it has very low production cost and it is advisable for farmers to use poultry manure during land preparation," said Mr Qiu.

Kaiming said it is essential for farmers to maintain and manage the farm in order to obtain a good harvest.

KAPL exports frozen root crops and brined ginger to New Zealand.



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DIVA-GIS	Sunday, February 08, 2009 Posted 11:46 AM by Tevita Company opens door for veggie farmers Story by the Ministry of Agriculture Saturday, February 07, 2009 From: Fiji Times While hundreds of farmers around the country are still coming to terms over the loss of their income caused by the recent floods, the story is different for Navua farmers. They are full of joy following an announcement that a local company was willing to buy their vegetables for export. The Navua-based Company Kaiming Agro Processing Limited (KAPL), has successfully established overseas markets for local chillies and is calling on farmers to produce more to fulfil the export demand. KAPL managing director Kaiming Qiu said there was a huge demand for local crops in the overseas market and farmers should take advantage of the opportunity by increasing their local production. Mr Qiu said farmers should grow more cassava, dalo, ginger and also chillies for export. The company needs about one tonne of chillies a month for export, around 800 tonnes of cassava, 300 tonnes of dalo and 50,000 dozen bundles of rourou in a year. The company is offering $0.45-$0.50 for a kilogram of cassava, $4 a kg for red fire and bongo chillies, $0.90-$1 a kg for dalo and $5 for a dozen bundle of rourou. "I prefer farmers to supply me with pink and yellow skin cassava since they are of good quality and optimum for export," Qiu said. Currently KAPL buys most of its cassava from Rakiraki and Tailevu but he insisted the farmers of Navua to take advantage since a market was at the doorstep. "In an acre a farmer can produce 18 tonnes of cassava and for every tonne he or she can earn up to $450 per year or $8100 per acre in one year. He said chillies should be picked at matured stage since it would be exported frozen. "It is very easy to cultivate these crops whereby it has very low production cost and it is advisable for farmers to use poultry manure during land preparation," said Mr Qiu. Kaiming said it is essential for farmers to maintain and manage the farm in order to obtain a good harvest. KAPL exports frozen root crops and brined ginger to New Zealand. * Comments: Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. 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