Foreign investor who has made Fiji his home has invested in high-niche product and taken strategic advantage that Fiji offers for agricultural organic crop production.

Ashwin Export & Import Company Ltd located in Namaka Industrial exports organic turmeric to the United States of America and New Zealand and ginger to New Zealand.

The company recently developed a new product (organic turmeric powder) and will soon start exports of drumsticks/ moringa leaves with a few upcoming projects to be launched by mid- 2022.

In 1979, American businessman, Ashwin Khandhaliwala, left India for America when he was 23.

Company director, Mr Ashwin Khandhaliwala established Ashwin Export and Import Company Limited in 2018 trading raw turmeric at Votualevu, Nadi with only five employees.

In 2019, the company received USDA certification and started exporting fresh organic turmeric to the United States of America. The company exported 60 to 80 tons of raw organic turmeric last month to USA.

The company now employs 23 locals at its processing facility in Namaka and has attained Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) and GMP certifications, both of which has allowed them to sell their organic produce to other markets internationally.

Mr Khandhaliwala said the pandemic impacted the company’s exports to the USA which dropped more than half the average amount.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has diversified its product range to focus more on farming and cultivation of saijan (moringa) oil and ocally made pickles added to its range of exported goods.

Mr Khandhaliwala works closely with up to 120 local farmers from multiple villages across the interiors of western Fiji.

Investment Fiji continues to assist the company with approval processes and connections to other markets.

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