A new partnership between Lotopoha Export Trading and Pacific Horticulture and Agriculture Market Access Plus Program (PHAMA Plus) will see a multi-purpose packhouse built in the Easter District of Tongatapu, for root crops export.
The facility will serve as a processing and packing facility for both frozen and fresh produce. The Eastern District is the main supplier of the country’s total root crops exports.
“We’re proud of our continued collaboration with PHAMA Plus to establish the packhouse facility and improve our export capacity to meet the minimum requirements for food safety where fresh produce from our farmers can be processed, packed and ready for exports,” said Melesisi Finefeuiaki, Lotopoha Export Trading Chief Executive Officer.
“Lotopoha has been exporting to formal markets in the United States, New Zealand, and Australia, where food safety is a key market requirement to meet market standards, and this renewed collaboration will help the business prepare for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) auditing, accreditation, and certification.”
Despite being one of the largest districts that supplies large volumes of root crops for exports, there has been no established proper processing facility in Tongatapu’s Eastern District to cater for the increased volumes of processing and packing of root crops for exports.
Cassie Cohen, First Secretary of the Australian High Commission to Tonga said:“Australia, through PHAMA Plus, is proud to support Tonga’s only woman root crops exporter – Melesisi and farming households that supply to her company, but more broadly to grow Tonga’s export capability of root crops.”
Olivia Philpott, First Secretary – Development, New Zealand High Commission Nuku’alofa said: “New Zealand’s partnership with Lotopoha Trading, through PHAMA Plus, is supporting inclusive economic growth by ensuring farming communities, and in particular women, from the Eastern District can access the benefits of upgraded packing facilities. We wish Melesisi and her team great success in the future.” The multi-purpose packhouse facility is expected to break ground in April 2023 and to be completed by July 2023.