By Tupou Vaipulu Jr.a

Over $185,000 AUD worth of biosecurity equipment was handed over to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry today, 18 June 2025.

The equipment includes a state-of-the-art fumigation chamber, protective gear, inspection tools, an incinerator to safely manage imports and exports and a digitized Quarentine Management Information System with IT infrastructure, to help enhance Tonga's Sanitary and Phytosanitary  Systems (SPS).

The equipment will help Tonga meet international SPS standards, ensuring continued and expanded access to key export markets such as Australia and New Zealand. 

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forests, Hon. Siosiua Moala Halavatau, welcomed the handover, as a step forward for Tonga’s agricultural and trade sectors.

“This is not just a handover of tools. It’s a handover of confidence for our farmers, for our exporters, and for our consumers. Tonga is committed to meeting the highest international standards for food safety
and plant and animal health. With this support from PACER Plus, we are better equipped to ensure the quality and safety of our exports, protect our environment, and grow our economy,” said Hon. Halavatau.

Head of the PACER Plus Implementation Unit (PPIU), Mr. Roy Lagolago, said he was proud to partner with PHAMA Plus in delivering the fumigation champer, which is an inportant piece of infrastructure that will directly benefit exporters in Tonga.

"This partnership recognises the work that PHAMA Plus is already doing in Tonga and also avoids duplication of efforts and resources. The PHAMA Plus work in facilitating market access for Pacific produce to Australia and New Zealand is important and is a conduit for increased trade under PACER Plus,” said Mr. Lagolago.

The equipment, valued at $185,350 AUD ($288,003 TOP) was funded by PACER Plus trade agreement’s Development and Economic Cooperation (DEC) Work Program.

The handover concluded with a signing ceremony between Hon. Siosiua Halatavu and Mr. Roy Lagolago.