By V. Kumar and R. Bourdeix
From 2018, the coconut nurseries activities were mostly entrusted to Copra Millers of Fiji Ltd (to be completed).
In Viti Levu, four nurseries are releasing seednuts to farmers:
In Vanua Levu, two coconut nurseries
From 2018, the coconut nurseries activities were mostly entrusted to Copra Millers of Fiji Ltd (to be completed).
The Fijian coconut nurseries presented hereunder are under the authority of the Extension services of the Ministry of Agriculture. For creating a new nursery or improving the existing, please visit the relevant section on recommended seedbed and nursery management techniques. A movie is presently being prepared on these topics.
Please click on the geographical coordinates to see on a map where are located the coconut nurseries. For instance (-16.702692, -179.896716) for the Taveuni Coconut Centre.
Please click on the geographical coordinates to see on a map where are located the coconut nurseries. For instance (-16.702692, -179.896716) for the Taveuni Coconut Centre.
In Viti Levu, four nurseries are releasing seednuts to farmers:
- Lakena (-18.00999, 178.52834)
A medium-sized seedbed/nursery which remains far from international standards, and is not operated full-time. All the seednuts come from Tall varieties, mainly Fijian Tall and a few Rotuman Tall, coming from Taveuni. It is said that about 500 Seednuts are delivered per month to farmers, but we did not seed the nursery book. The officer in charge is Mr Akariva Nabati (3344061).
- Koronivia Research Station (-18.04911, 178.52979)
A small nursery to produce bare foots seedlings. The seednuts are well Fijian Tall, none are harvested on hybrids. The management is low and the percentage of germination looks small and need to be precisely assessed. Parts of the nursery is attacked by a Fungal Disease, not yet identified. It could be botryodiplodia but the leaves attacked are often the oldest, when botryodiplodia seems to attack young leaves and we did not observed but fall. It could also be Lasiodiplodia theobromae (also called Queima das folhas). So there is a risk to transmit this disease to farmers. It is said that the number of seednuts delivered to farmers in 200 per month, but we did not see the nursery book.
- Doboilevu Research Station
- Legalega Research station (-17.753568, 177.467146)
Legalega had a coconut nursery in the past, but not when we visited on December 2017. Mainly working on mushroom and pulses. A new nursery will be set up soon in the framework of the CIDP training planned in April 2018.
- On farm and community nurseries
We were not able to visit on farms and community nursery, it seems that this program was stopped or not yet launched.
In Vanua Levu, two coconut nurseries
- Wanigata Research Station (-16.78264, 179.464)
In 2017, Waniagata have only a small research nursery, conducted far from international standards.
- Copra millers Fiji Limited (-16.73656, 179.36191)
Quite large seedbed/nursery. They said that about 5000 seedlings were delivered to farmers. When looking at the color of the sprouts, including some yellow and red sprouts, it seems that at a small part of the seednuts delivered to farmers are harvested on hybrid palms. Contact: Ashok Kumar, Mill manager, phone 777 5333.
- On farm and community nurseries
It was not possible to visit any of these on farm and community nurseries, and it seems that this programme was not yet launched.
In other islands
- Taveuni Coconut Centre (TCC) (-16.702692, -179.896716)
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| Seedgarden for hybrid seednuts production in TCC |
- Need to get more information about other islands, Extension service of eastern division (Mr Epeli Duguca, phone 3384233).
