Molumolu Primary School Children with kiwifruit Photo: Rachel Lynch/Zespri
Twenty tonnes of kiwifruit has been delivered to schools across the island of Viti Levu, Fiji, this week. Fresh fruit has been in short supply since February when Cyclone Winstone wiped out crops and communities. The kiwifruit exporter Zespri has donated a container load of fruit, with support also coming from T & G, Maersk, SEMCO and Tauranga Fruit Logistics.
Most of the children have never seen kiwifruit before, and as well as trying some at school, they're taking a kilo home. The principal of Molumolu Primary School near Nadi, Sailesh Sharma, says they're very grateful for the fruit because while his rural families are now producing enough vegetables, fruit is scarce. Mangoes are ripening but there's not much fruit on the trees, and guavas, oranges and mandarins were also ruined. He says it will be two months before bananas are in better supply and the price will drop.
