The MOU says that Samoa will provide a variety of breadfruit and the Americans will pay royalties to Samoa. Tuilaepa said Samoa has many varieties of breadfruit compared to other countries that may have only one or two. “These breadfruits will be replanted or reproduced in America then distributed to countries in Africa,” Tuilaepa said. 

La’auli believes that Samoa is not the only country that would benefit from this undertaking. Besides breadfruit, the US has markets for other Samoan produce such as taro, yams and manioka.

He also spoke about the recent opportunity to export frozen breadfruit to Australia after negotiations with the Australian government. La’auli said once they realised the opportunity, he and his delegation returned to Samoa, talked with farmers, and the end result was a container of frozen breadfruit currently being prepared for Australia tht will leave Samoa at the end of the month.

Pacific Islands need to increase export opportunities

New Zealand-based Samoan businessman, Anae Afa Anae, said it is “crucial to find solutions and ways for the Pacific people to export their produce.”

“It is difficult for the Pacific to export to New Zealand, yet they allow the Philippine mangoes into NZ, and bananas from all over the world, and they block us,” he said.

The technical adviser for the Samoa Association of Manufacturers and Exporters Inc, Colin Stringer, said his association continues to raise the breadfruit issue at every opportunity. He said the Samoan breadfruit is ranked the best in the recent research by a Hawaiian university. His comment prompted other business people to use the university findings to launch another petition to the New Zealand authorities.

Source: FreshPlaza