SUVA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Fiji's Ministry of Agriculture's Research Stations will increase production of selected planting materials with contracted farmers to ensure consistent supply of planting materials.
Fiji's Minister for Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development, Waterways and Environment Mahendra Reddy gave this assurance during his visit to the Naduruloulou Research Station in Nausori, a 30-minute drive away from Suva, the capital of Fiji, on Friday.
"We will continue our agricultural research to release high yielding varieties. Farm-level productivity is quite low and one of the factors is low yielding traditional varieties. We will continue to do this over time, given a particular variety builds susceptibility to pests and diseases thus needing replacement."
Reddy said the ministry was also organizing farm land to raise seeds and seedlings to improve their production, with the development of an integrated production system focusing on promotion of cover crops, green manure, nitrogen fixing plants and pulses; fruit tree orchard package of practices; and fertilizer/pesticide management.
Plans are also in place for the implementation of management practices to control the outbreak of pests and diseases which would be coordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture's Research Division through the use of recommended integrated pest management to reduce its population to a more manageable level.
Reddy said farmers' training would also be conducted in all geographical divisions by the Ministry of Agriculture Research officers to help familiarize farmers with the best practices.
Reddy is currently on a two-day tour around Viti Levu, the main island in Fiji, meeting with livestock and crop farmers while also resolving agricultural and waterways issues.
