Subsistence livestock farmers in the Suva and Nausori lockdown area do not need a curfew pass to attend to their livestock but will have to contact the advisory councillors or village headmen in consultation with the District Officer and Provincial Administrators.
This has been confirmed by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Permanent Secretary for Agriculture Ritesh Das says they will facilitate a pass and a passage for commercial livestock farmers to go and attend to the needs of their livestock.
Das says they have facilitated these requests for commercial farmers in the last two days and will continue to do so until the lockdown is over.
He says the passes can be attained from their extension office numbers and the Ministry of Health helpline.
Das says these passes are processed and transferred electronically but if a farmer cannot access the pass through this mode, agriculture officials will bring a pass to the farmers.
He says agriculture officers are supervising this and police are posted in various locations to verify that the farmer’s movements are as per the requirement of the pass and are not abused.
