biosecurity

The joint statement for strengthened biosecurity was made at the Pacific Week of Agriculture and Forestry (PWAF) held 6 – 10 March in Nadi, Fiji at the side event Managing Agricultural Risks to enhance Pacific Agritrade funded by the European Union.

The 17th Pacific Games will take place in Honiara, Solomon Islands from November 19 – December 02 this year under the theme Safe and Green Games, which was launched by the Solomon Islands Prime Minister Hon. Manasseh Sogavare on March 03.

They asked the Australian officials to reconsider their import restrictions on kava.

Tonga also discussed certain bio-security problems including African snails, fruit flies, mould and fumigation requirements which caused long-term delays in clearing containers at Australian, Fijian, Samoan and New Zealand ports.

The long delays often caused Tongan produce to be damaged before they reached Pacific markets, it has been claimed.