Results for agriculture

Breadfruit is the Pacific’s most climate-resilient crop due its ability to survive and withstand natural disasters, said Kyle Stice, Executive Director of the Pacific Island Farmers Organization, at the opening of the Breadfruit Festival 2024 in Tonga,

Tonga’s watermelon export crops will soon benefit from smart irrigation systems and improved cold storage, following a new partnership signed between Nishi Trading Company Limited and the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus (PHAMA Plus) Program, supported by Australia and New Zealand.

Awarded the title of ‘Best Vanilla Farmer’, Inoke Maama who was a previous winner, received awards for the Best Quality 1kg Vanilla Beans and the Longest Mature Bean, in a Vanilla Awards event held last week in Neiafu, Vava’u.

Tongatapu's Royal Agriculture, Fisheries, Tourism and Trade Show enjoyed sunshine, on Saturday June 10, after a few days of rain had muddied the Manamo’ui Showgrounds. King Tupou VI presented the awards for the best in each category.

The Royal Agriculture, Fisheries, Tourism and Trade Show will return in June to July this year, after a hiatus of three-years due to COVID-19 and the 2022 Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha’apai volcanic eruption and subsequent tsunamis.

Women's community groups establishing home gardens are making a positive impact in disaster recovery. The efforts of several groups were recognised at a women’s home garden awards program, held on 1 September, under a COVID-19 and Hunga-Tonga, Hunga-Ha’apai response and recovery program.

Tonga's disaster recovery effort to re-build its agricultural sector, was assisted by the donation of 1500kg of seeds from New Zealand today.

The stoppage of Tongan watermelon exports to New Zealand and kava exports to Australia is having a drastic impact on the Tongan economy, Lord Tu'i'afitu told the Tongan Parliament this week. Desperate growers are now trying to sell thousands of export quality watermelons along Tonga roadsides for only a few pa'anga each. Quality control was lost when Tonga's expert agricultural advisers left the country, and with a continuing border closure it will take a long time to replace them. From the House by Pesi Fonua

Tonga’s agricultural produce is not only nutritious and healthy but local consumption greatly supports the local economy. “There’s a whole raft of benefits from local products,” said Minoru Nishi Jr, manager of Nishi Trading, on launching their new frozen product line in Nuku'alofa this week.