Coconut Millers welcome new research station in Fiji

[Stacey King]

Sunday, August 29, 2010 Taken from / By: Fiji Times Online
Government’s move to set up a new Coconut Research Station in Wainigata, Savusavu has been well received by the Copra Millers of Fiji.
Chairman, Ilisoni Taoba expressed his appreciation of government’s plans to boost the coconut production in Vanua Levu.
Taoba says with the Research Station near - the coconut producers will boost production in the industry.
He says world markets demands five containers of virgin coconut oil in one month.
The chairman explains that 6000 nuts produce 1 tonne of copra for the current price of $650 per tonne.
For the same number of nuts you can get 500 liters of virgin oil.
Taoba says government’s initiative of diversifying the coconut industry will help raise the local production level to market standard where producers can earn more.
Sixty five percent of coconuts in Fiji are in Vanua Levu, from which fifty (50) percent are in Cakaudrove alone.
More than one hundred thousand (100,000) people in Fiji depend on coconut for their livelihood.