Page 25 - IB May 2025

Agriculture Agriculture

Magic beans ... Papua New Guinea makes an impact on the world stage with its quality coffee.

STABILITY IN THE FIELD

AGRICULTURE STEADIES THE PACIFIC SHIP

By Aisha Azeemah out of a total of 18,320 taro growers in Samoa reportedly
supply the export market.
Agriculture remains the root of stable economies across the The report notes that “Samoa’s agriculture sector
Pacific. transformation aligns with government priorities to boost
While no accessible database offers real-time statistics local production of cocoa, coconut, and taro, ensuring food
for 2025, recent reports from four Pacific Island nations can security and economic resilience.”
provide insight into what’s being grown and how. The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
In Papua New Guinea, agriculture reportedly remains (CNMI) presents a different production profile. According
overwhelmingly household-driven. to its 2023 agriculture census released in March of 2025,
The country’s cocoa sector supports “the livelihoods of “vegetables and melons represented the largest category of
150,000 households in 14 provinces,” according to a 2024 crop production in farms in the CNMI.”
briefing on PNG’s agricultural commodities. Cucumbers reportedly lead the way with approximately 52
Cocoa yields 43,000 tons of dry beans valued at US$84 metric tons harvested, followed by watermelons at about 47
million annually. metric tons, eggplants at about 29 metric tons, and tomatoes
Other widely grown crops include vanilla, produced by at about 26 metric tons.
130,012 households, with a national output at 300 metric tons While Pacific nations largely continue their focus on
per year, and coconut, which involves 440,328 households at subsistence produce, locally sold cash crops, and raw exports,
96,665 metric tons per year. some have ventured into niche exports based on local
The livelihoods of the people of PNG were reported to be agricultural strengths.
85% dependent on agricultural production, while agricultural Kava-based pills and bottled drinks, gluten-free flour
products also made 28% of total exports for the nation, products, seaweed products for the cosmetics industry, and
contributing significantly both at the individual and national chocolate from the Pacific, appear to be gaining popularity
level. abroad.
In Samoa, subsistence models of farming are similarly Together, these snapshots reflect a region where root
widespread. According to a report presented at the 2024 Hand crops, cocoa, coconuts, and increasingly vegetables, remain
in Hand Investment Forum, “67% of all households in Samoa central to local livelihoods, while an increasing interest in
grow coconuts,” followed by taro at 64%, and cocoa at 56%. value-added products from the Pacific has allowed exports to
While most taro is grown for domestic use, an estimated 800 diversify.

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