Nabilah S
A team from Aitken Spence PLC, a leading Sri Lankan conglomerate, explored potential business opportunities in the agricultural sector during their recent visit to Fiji through its subsidiary, Elpitiya Plantations.
This four-day visit underscores the company’s commitment to utilizing its extensive expertise in agriculture to cultivate new business ventures in Fiji.
The visit was facilitated with the assistance of Investment Fiji, the Commercial Agriculture Taskforce, the Ministry of Trade and Cooperatives, and the Ministry of Agriculture.
Throughout their stay, the Aitken Spence delegation engaged with a diverse array of stakeholders, including government ministries, food processing facilities, distributors, and local farmers.
Dr. Rohan Fernando, Board Director of Aitken Spence PLC, remarked that these interactions provided valuable insights and fostered meaningful discussions aimed at identifying and developing viable agricultural opportunities in Fiji.
Dr. Fernando noted that Fiji offers a wealth of opportunities for commercial farming, particularly in sectors such as papaya, pineapples, dragon fruits, berries, coffee, tea, mangoes, cinnamon, lime, and passion fruit.
The visit included productive site inspections and meetings with various local stakeholders.
Significant engagements included discussions with Nature’s Way Cooperative and Jack’s Mango Farm, where potential opportunities for mango and strawberry cultivation were examined.
Additionally, meetings with Ranadi Plantation and Bula Coffee opened avenues for future partnerships in plantation agriculture and coffee cultivation.
Aitken Spence’s commitment to introducing innovative agricultural technologies and exploring renewable energy solutions is expected to greatly enhance Fiji’s agricultural productivity and sustainability.
Kamal Chetty, Chief Executive of Investment Fiji, stated that the fruitful engagement aligns perfectly with their vision for sustainable economic growth.
Chetty expressed excitement about the potential benefits this partnership will bring to Fiji’s agricultural sector and the wider economy.
Aitken Spence is now preparing for follow-up visits to conduct a more thorough analysis.
The anticipated investment in Fiji is expected to decrease the country’s reliance on imported agricultural products and create new export markets.
