Business

Northern cassava farmers secures market

September 27, 2023 4:11 pm

Lautoka-based cassava flour mill, Tavioka Organic Private Limited owner Anwar Khan

Lautoka-based cassava flour mill, Tavioka Organic Private Limited, has opened a market for farmers to sell their produce in the Northern Division.

It has pledged to buy 10,000 tonnes of cassava at $400 per tonne in a week from Vanua Levu.

Owner Anwar Khan says this has relieved the burden of securing a market for the crop and will meet the demand for cassava to process flour in the mill.

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“Looking at the energy that they have provided, it was absolutely amazing. I think it was lacking in this part of the world, that nobody came up with a concept that they could provide their produce to us. We guarantee our buying, because we need cassava.”

Khan says they recently met with farmers and have received a positive response to the plan, which is scheduled to commence this week.

He says the initiative will boost revenue for large-scale tavioka farmers, and it will continue to provide employment for 30 women in the company.

The businessman encourages farmers to each plant 8,000 plants on 3 acres in a period of six months to help meet the demand for cassava by the mill.

Established in the midst of COVID-19, Tavioka Organic Private Limited is a multi-million dollar investment that supplies cassava flour to the local market and also exports to Australia.