Fiji looking to source suitable potato variety

The Ministry of Agriculture of Fiji has plans to source potato seed materials for the Red Pontiac variety from Australia as it continues its efforts to boost local production.

Deputy permanent secretary Uraia Waibuta said 40 tonnes of seed material were imported this year for planting in April-May.

"All of that potato has been harvested. We used to import our seed material from New Zealand but because New Zealand is a temperate country, those seed materials were not conducive for Fiji.

"Towards the end of last year, we had sourced our seed material from Australia and that was the variety that was suitable to be planted in Fiji.

"When we wanted to source seed materials from Australia, it wasn't enough because they were not producing that certain variety and had moved on to other varieties.

"We have requested if they could produce that variety again for us and that is the variety we will import next year for planting."

He said farmers who harvested these potatoes sold them by the roadside because they were not produced on a large scale.

Potato is a seasonal crop planted during the cool months from April to November.