21 Dec 2009

Cyclone damage to Fiji crops extensive

4:26 pm on 21 December 2009

Cyclone Mick has ruined up to 60-percent of Fiji's fruit, vegetable, and sugar crops, mostly on Viti Levu.

Fiji Disaster Management office's acting director, Pajilai Dobui, says local agriculture bore the brunt of the wind and flood damage during last week's storm.

He says many of these farms were also badly affected by the flooding last January.

"We have the assessment from the Ministry of Agriculture. And according to the assessment, the damages of crops for the Western Division stood at more than 60-percent. For the central division the damage to crops stood at 60-percent as well."

Mr Dobui says 50 percent of crops on Kadavu were ruined, while the cyclone caused less agricultural damage in the Lomaiviti and Lau groups.