Samoa has made significant and commendable achievements in re-establishing the security of their domestic taro industry following its devastation by Taro leaf blight in 1993. Domestic production is now at the point where export markets could be pursued in an attempt to regain a considerable share of these markets. There are, however, significant impediments that would need to be overcome before Samoa could enter and be competitive in these markets.

Under Australia’s recently proposed conditions for global taro corm imports Samoa would be excluded from this market because of the presence of Taro leaf blight. Once (and if) these proposed conditions become policy, and should Samoa intend to pursue this market, measures to manage Taro leaf blight on exported taro would need to be developed by Samoa and accepted by Australia before trade could commence.

Key words: taro, taro corm, taro leaf blight, export, quarantine, biosecurity, phytosanitary, consignments, nematodes, quality

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