Tropical agriculture occupies 43% of the land area, employs about 65% of the labor force, and makes up about 50% of GDP. Most Samoans grow food crops for home consumption and cash crops for export. Village agriculture, in which the family is the productive unit, involves the largest areas of land, occupies the preponderance of the labor force, and produces the major portion of food and cash crops. Coconut products, cocoa, taro, and bananas are produced for export, and bananas, taro, and taamu are grown for local sale. Village plantings are invariably mixed, containing some or all of the following crops: coconuts, cocoa, bananas, taro, taamu, breadfruit, sugarcane, yams, manioc, and various fruits. Plantation agriculture has been controlled mainly by non-indigenous residents.
Exports of unprocessed copra have been largely replaced by coconut oil, coconut cream, and copra cake. Due to a decline in world prices, coconut production fell to 95,000 tons in 1992. In 1999, coconut production was estimated at 130,000 tons. Taro (coco yam) production in 1999 amounted to 37,000 tons. Taro production dropped 97% in 1993/94 due to leaf blight, and the government is working on methods to control the disease. Exports of cocoa have fallen in recent years, thereby discouraging production. Since 1991, no production over 1,000 tons has been reported. Banana exports fluctuate greatly from year to year. Exports of agricultural products in 2001 amounted to $5.1 million, while agricultural imports totaled $17.7 million that year.
what do I have to do if I want to import food like, taamu,yam,breadfruits,fish ect; but really like the article..
what foods allow to import in NZ?
cheers
Im not sure if this site is the right way to find out information but i needed to find out some information onland development for crops in Samoa,what is the land best suited too.
Can the land grow coffee and is anyone exporting there.What crops could Samoa produce to make export growth and what fruits are the world short of
Thanks very much Richard
Export of any agricultral produces and products have to go through very strick quarantine rules and regulations required by Biosecurity in Samoa . These are rules and regulations that most islands in the Pacific observed that are aligned to the rest of WTO member countries are required to satisfy. Under the banner of "Fair Trade " Ag produces and products should not have any discriminatory to hinder export ,however any issues of pests and diseases have to be proven scientifically.
The land is fertile for tropical fruit trees and vegetables. However temperature is varied in different elavation which needed to be mindful of when planting fruit trees for flower initiation.
Talofa sole