by Pesi Fonua

Tonga can revive its copra export industry but growers and exporters think it unlikely that anyone will be able to kick start the industry in time to meet government's assurance that Tongans will start freighting copra to Fiji by August.

In early May neither the Tongan growers nor Punjas (Tonga) Ltd., named by government as "the exporter" had heard anything about the plan other than what had been stated in a Prime Minister's Office press release on May 2.

When we contacted the manager of Punjas (Tonga) Ltd. on May 5 following the announcement of the copra export project, he did not know anything about it, but he had heard that Tongan government officials were talking to Punjas' people in Fiji.

Exports to Fiji

The reassurance by the Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Samiu Vaipulu on May 5 that Tonga, "can export copra to Fiji, now!" was just the kind of music that Tongan growers wanted to hear at a time when there is very little that they can export overseas.

The statement promised that copra was just the start, as negotiations with Fiji and Samoa to activate an existing trade agreement that was signed during the 1980s, was on-going and there could be an opportunity to export other agricultural produce to Fiji, but for the meantime it had been scheduled that Tonga could export copra to Fiji by August.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that there would be no limit on the quantity of copra for export, "the more the better", and it would not be restricted only to the Niuas, which was to become the main port of entry to and from Fiji. "It will be from throughout Tonga. The MV 'Otuanga'ofa will freight copra to Lautoka, Fiji, on its way for maintenance in Suva."

The sole exporter of Tongan copra to Fiji, according to the Deputy Prime Minister, would be Punjas (Tonga) Ltd., to its parent company Punjas Fiji, in Lautoka where it has its own coconut oil mill.

"Punjas has agreed that eventually they will set a coconut oil mill in Tonga," said the deputy Prime Minister.

On the return trip he said the 'Otuanga'ofa would carry Punjas products for sale in Tonga. "It will be cheaper. Falehau, Niuatoputapu is the port of entry for Tonga, and the 'Otuanga'ofa could downloads goods in Vava'u and Ha'apai on its way to Tongatapu."

Hon. Samiu said that the idea to look for an export market for Tonga's agricultural produce in Fiji came about during the FAO regional biannual meeting in Vava'u from April 5 to 7, to review the status of food security in the region. It was then discovered that a trade agreement between Tonga, Samoa and Fiji was signed during the 1980s with the intention of trading in agricultural produce between these countries, but it was an agreement that it had been unused due to a number of constraints, quarantine requirements and the absent of a affordable and reliable regional shipping service.

Dismantled industry

Tonga ceased to export copra during the late 1960s, and the infrastructure was eventually dismantled. All that is left are the old plantations of tall coconut trees.

Key people in sectors that could revive the copra industry were either reluctant to make a commitment to start exporting copra by August, or thought it was an unachievable idea, because it would take a few years to get the copra industry back onto its feet.

Coconut exporter

Afeaki from the Tinopai Farm who has been exporting coconuts to New Zealand over the years, supported the government's initiative, and he believed that there were plenty of coconuts in the bush to be collected and processed into copra.

However, he believed that the difficult part was how to motivate the people to get involved. "There are still a lot of coconuts out there. The last coconut replanting schemes were during the 60s and the 70s so the yield is still very high," said Afeaki.

He is buying coconuts from some villages in Tongatapu, a few islands in Ha'apai and some villages in Vava'u and in 'Eua, but not the Niuas, though he had noticed when he flew over the Niuas that there were a lot of coconuts on the islands.

Afeaki believed that a new price structure could attract people into making copra again.

"For example, at the moment I am paying 40 seniti per husked coconut. If someone comes along with 5000 coconuts, straight away he will get $2,000 pa'anga. On the other hand, the last I heard was that one ton of copra is worth $500 pa'anga. It will take roughly 5000 coconuts to make one ton of copra.

"So it will be more attractive for you to sell the 5000 coconuts to me rather than to go and make copra and eventually sell them for $500," he said.

Trade Agreement

'Alipate Tavo from the Ministry of Labour, Commerce and Industries said that there were about 20 products that Tonga could export to Fiji under the trade agreement that was signed during the 1980s.

At the time, Tonga was hoping to be able to export watermelons and tomatoes to Fji but, unfortunately, Tonga could not meet Fiji's quarantine requirements. Instead of Fiji importing watermelons and tomatoes from Tonga during their off season they were, and still are importing watermelons, tomatoes and other vegetables from New Zealand and Australia.

The Director of the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Viliami Manu, said that there had been an attempt to activate the Tonga-Fiji Trade Agreement and the Nishi Trading exported a shipment of tomatoes and potatos when the old MV Olovaha sailed to Fiji for its annual dry dock maintenance. "The difficulties were besides the quarantine requirements which were the same as demanded by New Zealand, there was the cost, which was about $74,000 for a return voyage by the Olovaha to Fiji." Viliami said that after that initial attempt by Nishi Trading, he did not hear of any follow ups. "The quarantine requirement for Fiji is the same as that for New Zealand."

Dr Manu did not want to comment on whether or not Tonga could revitalize the copra industry and start exporting in August. He said he had received the same Press Release from the Prime Minister's Office and that was all he knew about the Tonga-Fiji Copra initiative.