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Fiji evinces interest in importing farm technology

Staff Reporter

Fijian Prime Minister lauds value-added products made from coir

IMPRESSED AT THE WARES: Prime Minister of Fiji Laisenia Qarase visits the Coir Board showroom in Kochi on Thursday. Board chairman A.C. Jose shows him some of the value-added products made from coir.

KOCHI: Prime Minister of Fiji Laisenai Qarase on Thursday said that he looked forward to importing agricultural technology and expertise from India, particularly Kerala, to develop value-added products from coconut and coir.

During a visit to the Coir Board office at Pallimukku here, he said Fiji was a small country and a smaller producer of coconuts than Kerala. "In Kerala, we learnt that a wide range of value-added products can be made from coir and coconut. But in my country, the husk of coir is used just as firewood. The Fiji Government wants to expand coconut plantations in the country."

In Fiji, we produce 16,000 tonnes of copra. Our per-hectare production of coconuts is 2,000, whereas it is 6,000 in Kerala. This shows that our plantations have scope for expansion. We had useful discussions with officials of the Coir Board and Coconut Development Board, he said. The visit to India and Kerala was fruitful, both at the Government and business level. Earlier, we met the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and signed MoUs on tourism, IT and health, Mr. Qarase said. Before addressing mediapersons, he visited the Coir Board showroom and sales depot and took a look at the value-added products made from coir. He was received by A.C. Jose, chairman, and other officials of the Coir Board. A brief meeting was convened at the Board's conference hall and a presentation was made on the coir industry in India. Mr. Jose explained to him the different projects undertaken to promote coir industry in India.

The delegation led by Mr. Qarase was impressed at the presentation, which spoke of how things that would generally be thrown away could be converted into wealth. He also praised the way in which coir could be converted into about 50 products of human use. The Prime Minister spoke about the possibilities of setting up coir-based industries in Fiji. Mr. Jose said the coir sector in the State was now on the path of revival.

He also visited Kera Bhavan, the headquarters of the Coconut Development Board. He highlighted the role played by coconut in in Fiji's economy. Fiji's population is 8.5 lakh, of which 60,000 families depended on coconut for their livelihood. About 24 per cent of the area in the country was under coconut cultivation. Here too, he attended a presentation on coconut industry in India made by M. Thomas Mathew, chief coconut development officer of the Board.

Mr. Qarase said there was great potential for technical cooperation and support from the CDB for improving productivity, product diversification and farm-level processing. He took a look at the 46 coconut-based food products and shell/wood-based handicrafts at Kera Bhavan. Some members of the delegation evinced interest in desiccated coconut. He held talks with a delegation led by Minnie Mathew, chairperson of the Coconut Development Board.

Among those in the Fijian delegation were Kaliopathe Tavola, Fijian Foreign Affairs and External Trade Minister, Tomasi Vuetivoni, Commerce Minister and a host of businessmen. Indian High Commissioner to Fiji Ajay Singh was also present. After a visit to the Spices Board office here, the delegation left for Alappuzha.

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