Protecting Tongan Agriculture and Trade

Case Study

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Physical Features of Tonga

The Kingdom of Tonga lies roughly north south along the edge of the Indo-Australian Plate. The Tonga Trench is one of the deepest parts of the Pacific Ocean. Tonga is in the "ring of fire" that encircles the Pacific Ocean. One of Tonga's islands, Tofua, is an active volcano and the entire country experiences frequent earth tremors.

Tonga is actually a group of 170 islands, 36 of which are inhabited. Most of the Tongan islands are raised coral atolls. The exceptions are the Niuas and in the Ha'apai Group, the active volcano Tofua and its sister volcanic cone, Kao. Coral atolls are formed on the peaks of extinct volcanos.

"Tonga" means "garden". It has few natural resources other than its fertile soil, and the fish in the sea. The largest island is Tongatapu. It has one third of the kingdom's land area and two thirds if its population. Tongatapu is a flat, raised atoll. Every square inch of Tongatapu where there is no building is either under cultivation or lying fallow for the next planting.

The Need for Quarantine in Tonga

Tonga contains some highly fertile and productive land. Its major exports are vanilla, kava, bananas, coconut oil, pineapples, water melons, tomatoes and other vegetables. Other needs such as machinery, motor vehicles, petroleum products and other manufactured products are imported. Tonga imports far more than it exports.

For this reason, agricultural products are very important to the Tongans and so they must keep them free of disease and pests. They cannot afford to lose valuable crops for home use or export. Pests and diseases can cause large scale crop losses. Crops are kept free of pests and diseases through chemical sprays and other means within a country and by preventing pests and diseases entering the country (quarantine). Until a few years ago Tonga did not have an effective quarantine system.

The Need for Cooperation

One of the major pests in the Asia-Pacific region is the fruit fly. The fruit fly has caused large losses in fruit and vegetable production for more than a century. Exotic fruit flies are moving from country to country at an unprecedented rate. Some countries had little knowledge of the fruit fly pest species or which fruits these were affecting and no attempt had been made to arrange regional collaboration to address the common problems.

Tonga took part in a regional fruit fly project which was also assisted by AusAID, United Nations Development Programs, the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and the South Pacific Commission. A great body of knowledge has been accumulated about the species that occur in each country, their host fruits, the damage caused by the more potent species and how they can be controlled in the field before harvest. This information has proven invaluable in reducing quarantine risks in the Pacific.

For quarantine to be effective it cannot be left up to quarantine officials alone. Farmers and growers must be responsible and seek help and alert authorities if they have any diseased or pest infected animals. Tourists must be aware of the great damage they can cause to individuals and countries if they are careless or deliberately break quarantine laws and regulations. At the international level governments need to cooperate to ensure they all have similar laws and regulations and that they enforce these.

The Quarantine Services Project

The Government of Tonga requested assistance from the Australian government to improve its quarantine service. AusAID is assisting the Tongan government to make its quarantine and export inspection service more effective and efficient. This six-year project is to be completed in April 1998. The project has been expanded to include animals as well as plants.

The Project goal is to provide security for primary production in Tonga to allow sustainability of existing markets and to provide opportunities for development of future markets.

Together Project officers are:

• setting up new laws and regulations about quarantine
• providing equipment and facilities for inspection and treatment of plant products and animals and animal products carrying pests or diseases
• training staff to set up and maintain quarantine procedures

This will help Tongans to keep their products free of disease and pests so that other countries will be confident to accept exports from Tonga. It will also prevent loss of valuable crops for home use and ensure that there are enough crops for both home use and export. In Tonga, for example, 97%-100% of capsicums and chillies are infested by fruit flies unless they are controlled by spraying.

Laws and Regulations

The first step has been to review and make new Tongan quarantine laws and regulations that are clear and effective. Exporters and importers have also been made aware of the new laws and regulations. A brochure has been developed to provide information for travellers departing from or arriving in Tonga. The brochure is distributed through airlines in Australia, New Zealand, USA and Tonga. Travellers often buy souvenirs, food and clothing made of plant and animal products. These can carry pests and diseases.

Equipment and Facilities

Five important places have been provided with improved facilities and equipment:

• At Queen Salote wharf an insect-proofed storage area has been built for fruits and vegetables to prevent contamination while in storage.
• Inspection and treatment facilities have been provided at the Fua'amotu Airport. For example, papaya is treated by using high temperature forced air to kill any pests on the fruit.
• A screen house has been built at the Vaina Research Station. This will allow quarantine of new plants brought into Tonga.
• Office and safety equipment has been provided for a new quarantine facility at Neiafu Wharf on the island of Vava'u .
• A post-entry quarantine facility has been set up at Tokomololo Livestock Division. The veterinary officer has been provided with extra reference materials on worldwide pests and diseases found in animals.

Incinerators

All ports have been provided with incinerators to enable the destruction of quarantinable materials.

Training Quarantine Service Staff