Articles
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE VEGETABLE INDUSTRY IN FIJI
Article number
101_13
Pages
119 – 124
Language
Abstract
Vegetables have been grown in Fiji (Lat. 18°S) for almost 100 years, the early introductions being made by Indian and Chinese migrants who had a strong dietary preference for this particular group of crops.
The data on the present national production are difficult to derive because of a high proportion of the farm production is consumed as subsistence products (Chandra et al. 1974; 1976). Another problem with the accuracy of agricultural statistics is that the last agricultural census was carried out in 1968 (Casley, 1969) and this dealt only superficially with vegetables.
Nevertheless fairly reliable estimates of production areas, yields, prices and gross margins can be made and these are shown in table 1. The important vegetables grown in Fiji are sweet potato, tomatoes, English cabbage, Chinese cabbage, French beans, long beans, cowpeas, lettuce, eggplants, cucumber, okra, pumpkin and chillies.
However Fiji continues to rely heavily on imports of fresh vegetables from New Zealand and Australia, at a high cost in foreign exchange.
The main imports, which are usually air-freighted, are tomatoes (122t), English cabbage (71t), lettuce (132t), carrots (125t), and celery (33t). Most vegetable imports are made during the rainy summer season between November to April when the local production is low or negligible.
The data on the present national production are difficult to derive because of a high proportion of the farm production is consumed as subsistence products (Chandra et al. 1974; 1976). Another problem with the accuracy of agricultural statistics is that the last agricultural census was carried out in 1968 (Casley, 1969) and this dealt only superficially with vegetables.
Nevertheless fairly reliable estimates of production areas, yields, prices and gross margins can be made and these are shown in table 1. The important vegetables grown in Fiji are sweet potato, tomatoes, English cabbage, Chinese cabbage, French beans, long beans, cowpeas, lettuce, eggplants, cucumber, okra, pumpkin and chillies.
However Fiji continues to rely heavily on imports of fresh vegetables from New Zealand and Australia, at a high cost in foreign exchange.
The main imports, which are usually air-freighted, are tomatoes (122t), English cabbage (71t), lettuce (132t), carrots (125t), and celery (33t). Most vegetable imports are made during the rainy summer season between November to April when the local production is low or negligible.
The important vegetable production areas in Fiji are the Sigatoka Valley, Rewa Valley, Nadarivatu highlands and the hinterlands of Suva, Lautoka, Nadi, Ba, Nausori and Labasa urban areas.
Smallholder farming is the dominant system of agriculture in these areas (Chandra, 1972). Farm sizes are small, averaging 2–4 ha per family.
Each farm operates as a family enterprise which averages 6–8 persons per household.
A large number of crops is grown on each farm to provide for the subsistence as well as the cash demands of the household (Chandra, 1976).
Authors
S. Chandra
Keywords
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