Rice farming in the Western Division is set to thrive with the opening of a new mill in Ba today.

Fiji Rice Pte Limited Chair Raj Sharma says there are 600 registered rice farmers across Fiji, with only 100 from the West.

Sharma says research shows that some rice variety can be grown in dry conditions, and the establishment of the new mill, along with interest from farmers, will help reduce our import bill on rice.

He challenged farmers to venture into rice farming, as rice is a commodity that can be harvested four times a year.

He says the warm conditions of the Western Division will not hinder production, which is an added bonus for farmers.

“Actually now the rice can be grown in dry land, it does not necessarily have to be grown in bogy lands, it can be grown in dry lands and research show you can produce rice in 120 days.”

Minister for Agriculture Vatimi Rayalu says the mill, along with a warehouse, symbolizes the Chinese government’s commitment to supporting Fiji’s development.

“The Chinese rice team collaborated with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fiji Rice Ltd to construct the building here in Nailaga Ba. The total cost of this investment is $413,000.”

Rayalu says Rice is a staple food in Fiji however, Fiji’s import bill on rice is still high.

He says Fiji imported over $50 million worth of rice in 2022, which is roughly equivalent to 37,000 metric tonnes of rice in 2022 while approximately only 880 tonnes were produced locally.