Korovou Businesses Demand Dairy Industry Revitalization

Fijian businesses in Korovou are urging a revival of the local dairy industry, emphasizing its crucial role in the town's economy. The sector has been in recovery since a 2009 outbreak of brucellosis and tuberculosis in the Tailevu Province, which led to the culling of infected cattle and a sharp decline in milk output.

Maca Lutunauga, a businesswoman in Korovou, highlighted the direct impact on local entrepreneurs. "We, as small business entrepreneurs in Korovou, depend on these people to come and buy (milk) from us," she stated. Lutunauga believes that revitalizing the dairy industry would create a positive ripple effect, generating income for the town and enabling businesses to become more self-sufficient.

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I know they’re not meeting their quota with Fiji Dairy, but we, as small business entrepreneurs in Korovou, depend on these people to come and buy (milk) from us. If you revitalize the dairy industry here in Korovou, the ripple effect will generate money for Korovou town. We could survive on our own.

Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu acknowledged the challenges but pointed to potential solutions. He suggested that the Ministry of Agriculture should collaborate more closely with dairy farmers. Seruiratu also mentioned the introduction of new breeds, such as the Brown Swiss cattle already present in Nacocolevu, as a promising development for increasing milk production.

Despite these efforts, Fiji's dairy industry faces a substantial challenge, producing only 6 million liters annually. This leaves a significant 75% supply deficit, necessitating considerable imports to meet the nation's demand. The success of revitalization efforts could significantly reduce this reliance on foreign dairy products.

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But the dairy industry is recovering, and perhaps the Agriculture Ministry needs to liaise with the dairy farmers. There is a new dairy breed, the Brown Swiss, that is already in Nacocolevu, which hopefully is going to help the milk production.