Three-month shelf life holds back Fiji rice exports

Fiji Rice Limited wants to take Fijian rice overseas, but the product may not last long enough to make the journey practical. The company says its packaged rice currently has a shelf life of only three months.

Chief Executive Officer Mukesh Kumar said the company has attracted interest from Australia, New Zealand and the United States. For now, however, all of its production goes to the local market.

“ But to export, we also need to look at our quality. So we are working towards improving our quality. Once we have a quality, it’s improved. Because the other challenge we face is our rice, the produce, the packaged rice, the shelf life is only for three months. So exporting becomes an issue when it goes through, because if it goes through the sea freight, it might take one and a half months to reach,” Kumar said.

The company is working to meet international quality requirements and extend the shelf life. Kumar said sea freight alone can take up to one and a half months, leaving little time for the rice to reach consumers in overseas markets.

Until those problems are addressed, Fiji Rice Limited will continue supplying domestic demand rather than begin exports.

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But to export, we also need to look at our quality. So we are working towards improving our quality. Once we have a quality, it’s improved. Because the other challenge we face is our rice, the produce, the packaged rice, the shelf life is only for three months. So exporting becomes an issue when it goes through, because if it goes through the sea freight, it might take one and a half months to reach.