A local root crop exporting company Lotopoha Export Trading, has this month signed a partnership with the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access (PHAMA) Plus Program, that is aimed at assisting small holder growers supply consistently good export crops.

The exporter signed with the Australian-New Zealand funded program on May 1 in Tongatapu.

The collaboration will include the delivery of good agricultural practices (GAP) information through Lotopoha’s strong networks of small holder growers in Tongatapu, Vava’u and Eua to improve productivity, yield and reducing cost of production through better production techniques.

An increase in production will give a competitive edge for Lotopoha to maintain its export markets for various root crops, which include cassava, yam (kahokaho) and taro (yautia) as well as new improved varieties.

Lotopoha CEO, Melesisi Finefeuiaki said this partnership will avail more access to market information by producers/exporters and strengthen linkages between value chain actors.

“It also gives us more opportunities for consistent supply of export quality raw material for processing, packing and export,” she said.

PHAMA Plus National Export Market System Facilitator (Tonga), Paula Mosa’ati said they are proud to have supported Lotopoha, during a market visit to New Zealand in 2014 to inspect the arrival of their first trial shipment and secure a new buyer.

PHAMA Plus' support towards this partnership is part of its continuing efforts to develop Tonga’s root crop sector to achieve its overall goal of improving rural livelihoods and economic growth, he said.