New cassava varieties have been introduced to farmers during the annual Royal Agricultural, Fisheries and Tonga-Made show this week in Vava’u.
The new varieties were all named as Pelū or Peru since they were originated in Peru and South America.
MAFFF’s Deputy CEO Sione Foliaki said he brought the cassavas from Fiji in 2011.
They have been brought to increase our cassava diversity, he said.
“The more diversity we have the safer we are for our secure food base crops. We do not know any unknown diseases might show up at any time … differ cultivars differ tolerance to pest and diseases,” Foliaki told Kaniva News.
He said 11 cassava cultivars were brought to the kingdom but only three were recommended based on their science of soil management and crop production.
The varieties were brought from the Pacific Community’s Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees in Narere, Fiji.
They had been bred and raised at the Vainī experimental farm before transferring to the open fields in 2013 for propagation of planting materials.
“[It] took us 3 years to select and continuously multiplying of the best ones I selected to best fit our Tongan taste and environment. [In] 2016 & 2017 plots of these new cassavas were ready & distributed to farmers of Tonga.”
Foliaki said the cassavas have been propagated for a while in Ha’apai and ‘Eua before they were first displayed at the Vava’u show this week.
The Vava’u Royal Show was opened by King Tupou VI in Neiafu on Friday, July 14 after it was first opened in Lifuka, Ha’apai on June 23.
The Niuatoputapu Royal Show will be next on July 18, Niuafo’ou on July 19, ‘Eua on July 25 before concluding in Tongatapu on July 28.
