Tonga has long-standing trade linkages with Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, North America and other Pacific Island Countries for exports of fruits, vegetables and root crops.

The country has very good agricultural production capacity and its good soils and favourable climatic conditions are suitable for tropical and sub-tropical crops, and temperate horticultural products in the winter months.

In 2013, a feasibility study was carried out to determine infrastructure requirements for processing and packaging horticultural products for export (refer TR 45). The study was part of a process to develop Tonga’s capacity to export horticultural products, including traditional export commodities such as squash, coconuts and root crops, as well as higher value perishable fruit and vegetables, by air or sea.

This report comes in two parts: It provides an update of TR 45 and is intended to identify remaining infrastructure bottlenecks and constraints, which PHAMA and other industry stakeholders can then address. The report also includes a review of a proposal to establish a multi-purpose export packhouse facility, also a result of the 2013 feasibility study.

Download Technical Report