The fifth and the final shipment of Tongan squash is expected to leave Tonga for Japan on November 12.

The Secretary General of the Tonga Squash Council, Stephen Edwards, said that the total squash export to Japan this year is expected to be about 12,000 tonnes. As for the price, Stephen said that they still do not know because the first shipment of Tonga...’s squash arrived in Japan on October 26.

The Squash Council targeted to export 13,000 tonnes to Japan this year but they fell short by 1000 tonnes. Stephen said that the low yield of export quality squash was due to the late planting of squash this year because growers were wary about over planting and not being able to export.

Three shipments of 7,406 tonnes of squash have left Tonga for Japan, and the fourth ship is currently being loaded.

Stephen said that in every shipment they have given each exporter a quota on how much one is allowed to export on a shipment, and this season based upon how financially well of an exporter is the quarter ranges from 263 tonnes to 3,000 tonnes per shipment.