Essential Role of Market Requirements

The chairman of the Fiji Crop Livestock Council, Mr. Josua Nalewakalou, has emphasized the importance of understanding market requirements for the success of the agricultural sector in Fiji. His statement comes after concerns were raised by farmers regarding their poor marketing skills and their struggle to sell their produce at profitable prices.

Addressing a Farmers Forum in Suva this week, Mr. Nalewakalou stated that through workshops and forums, farmers could acquire a comprehensive comprehension of market demands and interact with each other to exchange ideas and potential solutions to common problems.

"We play a vital role in advocating for the issues or challenges we face as farmers," said Mr. Nalewakalou during his address at the forum. He stressed providing a united front against shared difficulties such as pests and diseases, climate change effects on farming practices, access to markets & finance facilities, and infrastructural necessities like farm access roads.

Mr. Nalewakalou strongly believes these issues can be resolved efficiently if they are addressed well by government bodies such as the Ministry of Agriculture and other stakeholders who have an influence over agriculture-related policies & decisions.

He added, "These matters will be taken seriously by our government through its various agencies,, ensuring we receive timely support when needed."

Highlighting how critical it is for farmers to understand market demand trends,, he said, “Market requirements are an essential factor in achieving success within our agricultural sector.”

According to him, having knowledge about what consumers want can greatly assist local producers in planning better production strategies that would allow them to to to not only gain access to larger markets but also get better returns from selling their produce—two factors that are crucially important for the long-term sustainability of any business,,, including farming operations.

By helping members comprehend specific needs & preferences expressed by buyers or end-users (market requirements), the Fiji Crop Livestock Council aims to enable individual farmer participants to to to increase profitability levels while simultaneously contributing towards the overall development goals of the country's agricultural sector.

Mr. Nalewakalou’s proactive stance towards addressing these concerns is a step in the right direction for Fiji’s farming community. His emphasis on understanding market requirements and farmer education through workshops and forums shows a commitment to equippingping farmers with skills that are necessary to thrive in a competitive marketplace.

His call for unity among the farming community, coupled with his plea for government intervention, reflect an understanding that success in agriculture requires both individual effort and systemic support. The statement by Mr. Nalewakalou serves as a reminder to all stakeholders involved—from individual farmers, cooperatives, and agribusinesses to governmental bodies—about their shared responsibility towards ensuring sustainable development within Fiji's agricultural sector.