Turmeric could be a golden opportunity for Fiji

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2026-04-23 09:47

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Fiji’s growing turmeric industry could help improve local livelihoods and climate resilience, Fijian researchers say. Turmeric production has increased by five times in the past decade, with most exported to the USA and NZ, but over 90% is still harvested from the wild. By increasing commercial farming and improving the sustainability of wild harvesting, Fiji could scale up production further to meet overseas demand for the ‘golden spice,’ the researchers say. They emphasise that engaging farmers in more deliberate planning could enable planting of drought-resistant turmeric varieties and irrigation systems to make the industry more resilient to climate change.