The Hindu Business Line : Fiji sees scope for tie-up with CDB, Coir Board

The Prime Minister of Fiji, Mr Laisenia Qarase, at the Coir Board showroom at Kochi on Thursday. The Board Chairman, Mr A.C. Jose, shows him some of the value-added products made from coir. - Vipin Chandran

Kochi , Oct. 13

THE Prime Minister of Fiji, Mr Laisenia Qarase, who visited the Coconut Development Board (CDB) on Thursday along with a delegation comprising Cabinet Ministers, Senators, senior officials and businessmen, said there was great potential for technical cooperation and support from CDB for improving productivity, product diversification and farm level processing.

Highlighting the importance of coconut to the economy of Fiji during his discussions with the CDB Chairperson, Ms Minnie Mathew, the visiting Prime Minister said the population of the island nation was 8.5 lakh and more than 60,000 families depended on coconut for their livelihood. About 24 per cent of the cultivated area in the country was under coconut.

After seeing the presentation on the coconut industry in India, Mr Qarase said productivity in India was three times higher than Fiji. He said Fiji would greatly benefit from technical cooperation in the field of product diversification as the coconut economy is almost entirely linked to copra and coconut oil.

Several members of the delegation evinced keen interest in the technology for production of desiccated coconut. They were also impressed by the display of 46 coconut-based food products and shell-based/wood-based handicrafts at Kera Bhavan.

The delegation has also shown interest in importing coconut-based handicrafts from India.

The delegation consisted of Ms Kaliopate Tavola, Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Mr Tomasi Vuetivoni, Minister for Commerce, Business Development and Investment, Mr George Shiu Raj, Minister for Multi-Ethnic Affairs, Fiji, Mr Luke Rokoveda, High Commissioner of Fiji in New Delhi, and Mr Ratu George Kadavulevu Cakobu, Senator, Fiji. Mr Ajay Singh, Indian High Commissioner, Fiji was also present.

The CDB Chairperson offered all help for developing coconut cultivation and industry in Fiji. Mr M. Thomas Mathew, Chief Coconut Development Officer, Coconut Development Board, made a presentation on the Indian scenariobefore the delegation. Mr V.K. Sankaran, Secretary, CDB, was also present during the discussions.

Visits Coir Board: Mr Qarase and the delegation also held discussions with the Coir Board Chairman, Mr A.C. Jose, and senior officials. Impressed by the way the coir industry converts waste to wealth the visiting Prime Minister said that there was good potential for setting up coir-based industry in the Fiji Islands.

Fascinated by the products that could be made out of coconut and its throw-away waste, he said that there should be more bilateral cooperation between India and Fiji for transferring the technology through bilateral agreements, which is a policy matter to be discussed in detail between both the countries.

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