Agriculture ministry Fiji keeps pushing potato farming

Potato farming will be the newest and best short-term crop for the people of Kadavu, Fiji, after the Assistant Minister for Agriculture Viam Pillay launched the Potato Field Day recently.

Mr Pillay told villagers of the Districts of Yawe and Tavuki they were promoting potato farming to some selected few provinces around the country and it was so fortunate that Kadavu was one of them.

Viam Pillay, Assistant Minister for Agriculture of Fiji:

“The quality of potatoes produced here in Kadavu is of superior quality than those produced in other parts of Fiji.”

“This is a historic occasion as this is the first ever Kadavu Potato Field Day to be organised by the Ministry of Agriculture in Kadavu.”

“This field day aims to bring about awareness on the importance of potatoes and its planting methods to help you, the farmer to be more effective in engaging with us, your government.”

Mr Pillay also stressed the importance of diversifying and venturing into short-term crops to complement farmers' yaqona production.Yagona, is a drink made of the kava plant, a natural relaxant traditionally used by Pacific Islanders.

Viam Pillay:

“Since most of you are yaqona farmers, we feel that you need to diversify to some short-term crops such as potatoes to sustain your food security, reduce imports and at the same time extend the growing maturity years of yaqona rather than harvesting your yaqona at an early growing stage.”

“This potato field day was a hands-on approach on the best methods of planting potatoes and was aimed at promoting the sharing of technologies and lessons through direct engagement between farmers and officials of the Agriculture Ministry."