Fiji’s First Locally-Produced Lamb

From Beryl Cates in Suva

OUVA housewives, who generally have to cope in the kitchen with the S' tough and tasteless frozen lamb from abroad, were jubilant early in March when a local butchery, Leylands, announced that it was selling locally-produced lamb for the first time. l am b, which was of excellent flavour and texture, came from the Fiji Agriculture Department’s experimental sheep farm at Nawaicoba south-west of Nadi. The farm may eventually show whether Fiji can become self-supporting in lamb and mutton.

By some odd coincidence, the retail price for the local lamb was exactly the same as the imported lamb—4/3 per lb.

Five lamb carcases went on the market; another five were to follow about a month later. Consumers will then have to wait almost a vear before more are available.

Nawaicoba began at the end of 1964 when the Agriculture Depart ment brought m 250 sheep. Thirty ewes were put to the ram and as a result there were 27 lambs.

About 2,000 lb of wool from the sheep were shipped to Australia m February to be sold. n . Photo . sh °ws the manager of Leylands Ltd., Mr. Yee Kee Chan Uett) inspecting four of the carcases with the Veterinary Officer Mr.

J. L. Baker, and the Director of Agriculture, Mr. K. Garnett.