AGRICULTURE - Cowboys of Sun Mountain Ranch
1-Dec-2008

When ascending Sun Mountain Ranch in the Sabeto Hills in Nadi, you immediately feel the cool air in your hair and the fresh scent of grass combined with the magnificent view.

This feeling belies the fact that these hills lie along Fiji’s sun-drenched ‘Burning West’.

The farm overlooks the Nadi International Airport in the southwest end and the Yasawa Group of islands in the northwest and the view all around is enough to cure anyone of heartaches and misery.

This is the ranch that has been the pride and joy of the Khan family since 1958 when the late Mohammed T Khan bought the 450 hectares of grazing lease and started beef and goat farming.

This has also been the pride and joy of Arif and Mohammed Naim Khan since running the ranch after their grandfather passed away.

“We have been running the ranch with our beloved father, Naki Khan and his perseverance in farming is actually what motivated us to carry the family tradition of livestock farming.”

Although they have been travelling to other parts of the world, they say there was no place like home.

Already moving on with their own families, the two brothers have done well to expand their farming business to make a better living for themselves.

They have also been practicing integrated farming with their livestock, root crops and vegetables and have been working closely in collaboration with the Ministry of Primary Industries’ Pasture Section of the Animal Health and Production Division (AH&P).

To travel up to Sun Mountain Ranch, one has to travel 14 kilometers from Lautoka through Vaivai Road as the road is easier to manoeuvre from this end rather than the road from the Nadi side as the road conditions are still not up to standard.

When asked why they chose to set up their business nestled in the mountains, Arif said that they wanted to feel the first rays of the sun on their skin and see the beauty of every rising sun.

“It was actually the same reasons that my grandfather chose this piece of property and I guess that we actually have an eye for beauty at its best,” smiled Arif.

The late Mohammed Taki Khan was also a respected member of parliament and Sun Mountain Ranch was often the favoured retreat for his politician friends from the noisy atmosphere of the urban areas.

Arif said that Sun Mountain Ranch’s location on the ridge of the Sleeping Giant. “We feel honoured that we are also part of a national heritage.”

The farm had begun from humble beginnings with beef and goat farming and has had its fair share of ups and down.

A daily milk supply with the Lautoka Hospital did not last long.

“Thankfully we did not give up that easily and were back in business in 1999 after obtaining some assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture through their Beef Development Program.”

“It was no turning back for us and we continued to push forth with whatever little resources we had as we were looking ahead to the great advantages of livestock farming.”

In 2004, the brothers resumed dairy farming and introduced sheep into their livestock farm.

“We also introduced apiculture into the farm in 2006 and I can say that there is no turning back now for us,” said Arif.

The ranch now supplying to South Pacific Butchery and clients in the Nadi and Lautoka areas daily.

The farm has a proud collection of 140 heads of cows, 150 heads of goats, 90 heads of sheep.

“We have 12 milking cows which supply us with four litres of milk per cow every day and this is sold to the nearby settlements and urban areas of Lautoka and Nadi,” said Arif.

The two brothers have been visiting the Ministry’s AH&P Office to gain more knowledge on their livestock farm.

The brothers were one of the farmers assisted under the scheme on pasture establishment and management.

“We were very fortunate this year to be assisted under the Import Substitution Program and wasted no time in planting the recommended feed for our livestock,” said Arif.

“I believe that through the Import Substitution Program, both the government and farmer will know their way forward and plan together what is to be achieved because right now we are importing so much from overseas countries and we are on the losing end,” he said.

“Fiji is not even self-sufficient in beef and milk production so I guess with whatever we have here locally, farmers should really give it their all and just try and lift their standards of farming a little bit,” said Arif earnestly.

In their 1000 acres of Native land 60 acres is only used to cultivate signal grass for pasture.

Livestock officer (west), Avinesh Dayal said that despite the current dry weather the new pasture was thriving at the Khan Brothers farm.

“One can figure out the difference between the native grass which were almost dried and burnt under the hot sun but the signal grass was still green under the same atmospheric condition,” said Dayal.

The ministry has also done trial tests on the same species of grass named Mulatto with different characteristics such as thickness of leaves and fibre content at the Koronivia Research Station and is intending to introduce it to farmers soon.

Farm trial tests in a couple of farms in the West will be conducted next year, according to Dayal.

The ranch has a total of 20 paddocks and 60 acres of improved pasture and the Khan brothers say that the sky is the limit as they really want to forge ahead with the best of feed for their animals.

Arif said the Koronivia variety of grass which is also bountiful on the farm was very suitable for goats and sheep and proved to be very nutritious.

Harsh as it may sound, hard work is always part of the ranch routine thus the reason there are five full-time labourers that actually live on the farm to see to the daily activities and care of the animals.

According to Arif, time is spent well so that farm hands including the two brothers work according to the area that is allocated to them.

“So whoever has to check on any paddock whether it be the cattle, goat or sheep, has to do a thorough check and I guess this is where we grow very close to our animals.”

The brothers are also thinking of going into fish farming and have already dug up a pond for tilapia farming.

“We are going to be sourcing our water straight from the mountains as we have our own well and it’s pumped up straight up here to the house, so I don’t think it’s going to be a problem filling in five ponds with tilapia,” said an optimistic Arif.

The brothers are grateful for the assistance they have received so far from the Ministry and say things will go a long way if farmers work well with the experts.

“Once farmers practice what the Agriculture Ministry is recommending, the livestock production will surely increase in this country,” said Arif.

Arif and Mohammed Khan have so many dreams and goals that they have set for the future but they are willing to work at whatever they have right now with all the energy they can muster.

“We did not have everything going for us at first but with a lot of determination and sacrifices, we were finally able to see the light shining ahead of us and just followed our dreams,” they said.

And the brothers believe that the country’s farmers can do better.

“If we can do it anybody can and we just hope that other farmers around the country will work harder and hold hands in these trying times because together we can provide a sustainable and secure future for our children and their children as well.”

As another sun sets over the Sun Mountain Ranch, another hard day’s work has also been completed and the target met bringing them closer to their dream of becoming a household name in beef and milk production.









KUINI WAQASAVOU, Ministry of Primary Industries & Sugar