The Agriculture Ministry has been allocated $101.2 million dollars an increase of $6 million dollars from the 2023-24 National Budget.

The coalition government is focusing on boosting non-sugar crops and production with various crop subsidies.

Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad emphasizes the need to provide agricultural training and education to young farmers.

“We are providing $3.1 million capital grant to Navuso Agriculture Technical Institute to construct a new facility that can train an additional 160 young agriculture farmers. We are also providing $330,000 to Tutu Training Centre for infrastructural development of existing facilities.

Prasad says that more than $53 million is being allocated for the crops and livestock research and extension services to strengthen agricultural productivity.

The Finance Minister adds government will assist the Fiji Cooperative Dairy Company Limited to upscale dairy production to reduce imports with a $4 million dollars allocation.

A further $3 million has been allocated to fund the Agricultural Marketing Authority and commercial agriculture development. $1.5 million for the beef revitalization program while an additional $6.2 million is earmarked to enhance large scale production through improved machinery and farm road access.