Putting fresh products onto supermarket shelves in other countries is a major challenge, said Annalize Struwig, an independent consultant, who evaluated Tonga’s progress under the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access (PHAMA) Program.

Annalize was in Nuku‘alofa last week, 29 April – 3 May 2014, meeting national program coordinators from five countries: Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. They looked at what Tonga’s Market Access Working Group has been doing right, and how they are, step by step, creating opportunities for a new era of export farming in Tonga and the region.

“Before I did a review of PHAMA Phase One I don’t think I realized how complicated an issue the export of fresh products really is,” she said.

“The PHAMA program has been instrumental in making sure that the right people sit around the table so that they can have a coordinated and structured discussion around what is being produced, what are the priorities, opportunities and exports, and what is the whole process we need to go through to make sure we have market access for those products,” she said.

Tonga’s Market Access Working Group has nine members, including leaders from the industry and Tonga’s relevant ministries, who meet regularly.

“You have a very constructive working group – it is noticeable the level of maturity in how these stakeholders and agencies are engaging with each other. …Everyone is realizing that it’s not only about what the quarantine authority does or what agriculture does or what industry wants; there’s a common purpose to all of this and that has been a key breakthrough in getting issues that are sometimes very difficult onto the table and having transparency and transparent discussions around that,” said Annalize.

The review noted that Tonga’s achievements included successful trials of fresh sweet yam to New Zealand; the opening of watermelon export pathways to Fiji, New Zealand and Samoa; the development of fumigation skills; and high-level submissions on zucchini access to New Zealand.

Annalize said it is difficult to get market access for fresh products, especially into countries like Australia and New Zealand, where biosecurity risks are considered very seriously. “A lot of things have to come together in both the exporting and importing country before you can successfully get a particular product over the market access line,” she said.

PHAMA coordinates that process. The program was initiated in 2011, with its regional office in Fiji, aiming to increase exports of high value primary products from Pacific island countries, supported by $14.8 million (AUD) Australian aid funding.

Export opportunities

Tsutomu (Tom) Nakao II, the PHAMA coordinator for Tonga, said that in Tonga already a lot of money had been spent on opening up the watermelon pathways, and that had led to Tongan farmers taking out bank loans to plant export crops. Tom said the opening up of a bigger zucchini export market was now within Tonga’s sights.

“There is a lot of opportunity out there,” he said.

“You either have access or you don’t. You can ship it to New Zealand or you can’t, so that’s the whole thing about opening the door.”

Tom said this is exactly why market access for small countries like Tonga relied on the development of a strong partnership between industry and relevant government agencies.

Currently, Tonga’s Market Access Working Group is chaired by Vaimoana Taukolo (Ministry of Commerce, Tourism and Labour), with vice-chair Afeaki (private sector), and members: Viliami Manu and Viliami Kami (MAFFF), To‘imoana Takataka, Lamipeti Havea, Tsutomu Nakao II and Minoru Nishi Jr. (private sector exporters and growers). With alternate members and observers including, Tevita Lautaha, Siutoni Tupou, Manaia Halafihi, Taniela Hamala, Soane Patolo, and Tonga Taumoefolau.

Last week’s meeting was the first time that the PHAMA coordinators and management teams from the five countries have met in Tonga. There is a shared goal that household income for primary producers may increase and more employment opportunities could be created in these agricultural-based small country economies.