Eight-hundred and two thousand dollars worth of farm machinery is to be bought by government to maximize production in state agricultural land in the Central Division.

The decision was made at Cabinet yesterday and this is also to help indigenous landowning units to maximize land use, increase production and meet their loan repayments.

However, villagers and farmers will need to pay $26.00 per hour for the use of this farm machinery to prepare their land for cultivation.

Lands Ministry’s Netani Sukanaivalu said there are currently 532 registered agricultural leases in 3,472 acres of arable state land in the Central Division adding infrastructure in all these areas has deteriorated immensely, leading to poor cultivation on the farms.

Sukanaivalu said this machinery will support maximum use of farm land and increase production.