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Minister works on ginger improvement plan

August 6, 2024 4:24 pm

[File Photo]

The Ministry of Agriculture is working to amend legislation that currently hinders the export of fresh ginger to Australia.

While Fiji has two main exporters of processed ginger, Agriculture Minister Vatimi Rayalu says some face challenges in meeting export quality standards.

Despite a surge in ginger production last year, with the Ministry increasing the export capacity by 100 tonnes, meeting the stringent quality criteria remains difficult due to climatic conditions and farming practices.

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“The Ministry will continue to work with the Fiji Crop and Livestock Council in upskilling our farmers on record keeping, quality standards and registration to meet the standards for fresh supply to New Zealand. Fiji can further raise its standards through GAP, good agriculture practice and organic certification by 2026 to attain premium price.”

Rayalu says Australia has raised concerns about risks in Fiji’s ginger, complicating access to their fresh ginger market.

Despite this, Fiji continues to supply processed ginger internationally, with significant exports to the U.S., Canada, and Australia.