TNEWS TALANOA

Posted at 03:13 on 02 October, 2007 UTC

The Tongan squash industry is fighting for its survival after more than 80 percent of growers withdrew from planting the vegetable.
The kingdom started growing squash in 1988 and it has become one of its major exports to mainly Japan and South Korea.
But the Squash Council’s secretary, Stephen Edwards, says increased costs of imported seeds and fertilisers, higher freights rates and low prices for the crop on the world market have scared many growers away.
Mr Edwards says as a result Tonga will export less than half of last year’s harvest.

View full story: http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=35509

Tonga beats head against wall with squash production

02 Oct 2007, 14:04


Editor,

Back in 1996 I was instrumental in taking PPEL out of squash export for a number of valid economic reasons then and now. Not withstanding fact that PPEL was a victim of successive years of rampant poaching.

View full story: http://www.matangitonga.to/article/lette...4_pf.shtml

'E toe 'iai koaa ha koloa 'a Tonga 'e ma'ui'ui hono maketi'ii pe 'ikai? Talu meia Sevele mo'ene kautaha to hinaa moe pokopokolili pe 'ae pisinisi ko'eni. Vakai foki na'a toe tu'u atu e ngaahi kautaha to hinaa 'o noo kae kaulenitoa 'ehe pule'anga...
Toe fakamanatu atu pe kia Sevele, pe koe ha koaa 'oku 'ikai ke totongi ai e fu'u pa'anga 'e laui miliona na'e no 'e he'ene kautaha to hina... pea 'alu ia 'o fakamanga mei he 'ofisi 'oe Palemiaa kae kai 'ehe langoo ia 'ae me'a na'a ne fokotu'u. Hifo ki lalo Feleti na'a faifai pea ke to 'o maheleua he 'uluma'olunga.