The Prime Minister has welcomed the new breeding farm for Goodman Fielder in Navua saying that it is an enormous boost for local production and food security and will also have a positive impact on the foreign reserves.

While Officially Opening the new facility this morning, Commodore Vorege Bainimarama revealed that this breeding farm will mean that over 1 million New Zealand imported eggs which are required for breeding local chickens will now be substituted by local production. He said the chicks from these eggs will be contracted out to small farmer holdings.

The Prime Minister said the growth of the local chicken industry will not only mean self-sufficiency but also that the largely untapped export market within the Pacific region can become a reality and a revenue source for Fiji.

He said the increased investment will translate into smaller farmer holdings, who will be the beneficiaries of outsourcing of growing chickens, meaning rural employment will increase and there will be improved livelihoods and a better standard of living.

Bainimarama said that the Government removed price control on locally grown chicken in May this year and the increase that was agreed to is over a period of 9 months which will be a total increase of $1.12.

However he said despite this increase, chicken still remains the cheapest and most competitively priced meat product.

He said that the mild increase means that Crest and other breeders of chickens would now be confident to invest in this Industry knowing that they would get a return.

He said close to $5 million will be invested in growing Fiji=s capacity of chicken production over the next year.


Story by: Sneh Chaudhry