26 Sep 2014

Northern droughts fail to squash Tonga's pumpkin outlook

7:32 pm on 26 September 2014

Tonga's agriculture minister says the outlook for squash pumpkin producers looks positive despite droughts that have plagued the north.

Sangster Saulala says he hopes to boost the sector through collaboration with the Japanese government, with whom he is in discussions regarding export prices.

Pumpkins

Pumpkins Photo: AFP

The first shipment, from Sakura Co Ltd, will leave Tonga for Japan on October 11th with an expected 1,500 tons of squash.

A quality control officer Silia 'Ahio says producers hope for better prices for the squash.