Development of trade in fresh watermelons from Tonga to New Zealand is being supported by the Tonga Watermelon Export Taskforce (TWET) and the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus (PHAMA Plus) program, through training and skills development conducted in June on Tongatapu.
A newly upgraded Pacific Islands Pest List Database (PLD) was introduced at a regional workshop in Fiji, attended by Tonga’s Head of Quarantine and Quality Management Division, from 29 May to 2 June. The PLD has a record of more than 26,000 pest occurrences, but Tonga's input needs updating, Siutoni Tupou said.