21 Oct 2008

Plans underway in Fiji to improve quarantine treatment for fruit and vegetables

11:57 am on 21 October 2008

Plans are being made aimed at improving quarantine treatment and marketing services for Fiji's fruit and vegetables industry.

The Fiji Times reports that Natures Way Co-operative Ltd, of Nadi, was approved a Enterprise Challenge Fund grant.

The Natures Way general manager, Sant Kumar says the grant will be used to to set up another chamber for the treatment of fruits and vegetables being exported overseas.

The project is specifically aimed to double the quarantine treatment capacity for the export of fruit and vegetables and to create a focused industry outreach program to facilitate an increase in the volume and quality of fruit and vegetables available for export.

He says last year the company exported 1500 tonnes of fruits and vegetables and with a new chamber, will be targeting 3000 tonnes of fruits and vegetables for export.

Currently, Fiji is exporting pawpaw, mango, breadfruits and eggplant to New Zealand and pawpaw to Australia.