May 19, 2021: Eligible cattle farmers are now able to purchase livestock at a reduced rate of the market price with assistance from the Government’s Second Stimulus Package (SP2) the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries have announced.
The maximum purchase per cattle farmer is capped at 5 cattle and under the scheme they can purchase up to 3 cattle at 60% of the total value of the cattle and the 4th to 5th cattle at 70% of the total value of the cattle.
ACEO of Animal Production and Health Division (APHD) Fesilia’i Tulia Molimau Iosefa said the purpose behind the agriculture incentives of SP2 is to help support food security; improve commercial development and sustainable agricultural production while the country continues to be adversely impacted by the global pandemic.
“Currently our economy is slow and our cattle farmers are hardly getting sales for selling of cattle for farm development which is why the injection of subsidies will not only support the development of cattle farms but also assist in preventing the slaughter of livestock which impacts the sustainability of a slow growing livestock sector” said Fesliai’i.
“Under the scheme our new and existing farmers will get the opportunity to establish more farms or even extend existing farms. In this way our farmers/new farmers will be purchasing from our existing cattle farmers, thereby keeping the cash circulating in our economy with the aim of improving and increasing the number of livestock farmers”
Current efforts are being made by the Ministry to contact cattle farmers who have been on a waitlist as far back as 2016 while also raising awareness to help reach eligible farmers who are interested in purchasing under the scheme.
“We are selecting from a list of applications sent through to the Ministry (with first priority given to those who have been on the list since 2016) to assist with the selection of buyers after a variety of criterias are met such as having a fence and good pasture management said Fesilia’i. “Our list of suppliers/current cattle suppliers are well established farms that can provide cattle within the $1,000 category of a Weiner bull and Weiner heifer.
The farmers who applied for cattle in 2016 are being urged by the Ministry to check their names against a list which has been uploaded on to their website or contact the Animal Production and Health Division directly. In addition any cattle farmers that are interested in selling their livestock under the scheme are also encouraged to come forward and submit an application to become a supplier.
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