Improved road access for farmers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
04th October 2016

Improved road access for farmers

Farmer Rayawa (on horseback) observes as his road is upgraded.

Small to medium scale crop farmers living along Lutukina Road in the Macuata Province are now able to get their produce to markets faster and with their crops undamaged since their road was recently repaired by Fulton Hogan Hiways.

FHH is contracted by Fiji Roads Authority to maintain the unsealed and sealed road networks in the Northern division.

Running through green terrain, Lutukina Road is located off the Labasa/Nabouwalu highway. It is 45 kilometres from Labasa Town and six kilometres from Dreketi.

Before the upgrade, kava and root crop farmer, Beniame Rayawa, says that the road was even inaccessible to carriers and 4 wheel drives. He said that the villagers have had to endure prickly weeds and potholes that increased in number and size after every rainstorm.

“I have had to use a sled or a horse to get my crops from the village to where the carrier is parked about one kilometer away. By the time I get my dalo to the carrier to be transported to backpacker lodges in Savusavu or to the Suva market, it’s usually damaged due to the bumpy ride,” said Mr Rayawa.

The maintenance crew from the FHH Natua Depot in Seaqaqa have removed high shoulders, graded and laid and compacted gravel on the one kilometre long road, and also cleaned out vegetation debris from the roadside drainage, says the Depot Foreman, Alifereti Cati.

Since Lutukina Road has been repaired, “farmers can go about their business with ease knowing that their crops will reach the markets unspoiled,” said Mr Rayawa.

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