Click on image for article page
The Grace Road Food Company will develop approximately 350 acres of flat land in Tailevu which is seen to be highly-suitable for rice farming.
Company representatives recently met with members of Mataqali Tacilevu at the Matacaucau Village community hall.
Matacaucau in Tailevu is the third farming initiative undertaken by the company and it has promised to continually develop farm lands.
Grace Road managing director, Daniel Kim, said in Tailevu, there are vast flat field area and it was rice industrial area before with Navua and Nausori.
“But nowadays, most land of Tailevu region has been neglected,” he said.
“This Matacaucau farm, the third farming site of Grace Road Food Company in Tailevu, has a great meaning for 2020 Rice Self-sufficiency Plan.
“It holds a great meaning because the farm development in Matacaucau is the first step for the revitalisation of the rice farming in Tailevu.”
Mr Kim said when the rice processing complex by Grace Road Food Company is completed by November, the Fijian rice industry will show signs of activity.
“I’m assured that we can achieve 2020 rice self-sufficiency in Fiji,” he said.
Expansion plans
The company’s expansion scheme includes lands on both Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, where memorandum of understanding have been signed with various mataqalis. Mr Kim said the mataqalis are waiting for administrative process to be completed, and are waiting to become Grace Road Food Company’s next farm.
He highlighted machinery for rice farming and infrastructure have already arrived, and more machinery will be coming.
“Grace Road Food Company will certainly proceed to develop the land for farming in Vanua Levu as planned within this year,” Mr Kim said.