Lotopoha Export Trading Company to Construct Packhouse Facility in Partnership with PHAMA Plus
Lotopoha Export Trading, the prominent Tongan export enterprise, has declared its collaboration with the PHAMA Plus to build a multi-purpose packhouse facility for root crops. The newly constructed facility will serve as a processing and packing hub for both fresh and frozen produce in the Eastern District of Tongatapu. This area is responsible for supplying a substantial percentage of the nation’s overall root crop export volumes.
Improved Export Capacity
The partnership between Lotopoha Export Trading and PHAMA Plus is an extension of their earlier collaboration, which aimed to boost Tonga’s root crops export capacity and comply with rising quality standards and market demands. The newly constructed multi-purpose packhouse facility will enable the processing and packing of fresh produce, which will meet the minimum food safety requirements necessary for exports to formal markets in the United States, New Zealand, and Australia. Additionally, the partnership with PHAMA Plus will assist Lotopoha in getting ready for HACCP and the FDA auditing, accreditations, and certification.
A Significant Step for Tonga’s Eastern District
Despite being one of the biggest districts that supply large volumes of root crops for exports, Tongatapu’s Eastern District has lacked a proper processing facility for the increased volumes of processing and packing of root crops for exports. The new multi-purpose packhouse facility is a significant step towards improving the export capability of root crops in Tonga.
Support from PHAMA Plus
Cassie Cohen, the First Secretary of the Australian High Commission to Tonga, has voiced her backing for the new multi-purpose packhouse facility for root crops, citing Australia’s support through PHAMA Plus for Tonga’s sole female root crops exporter, Melesisi Finefeuiaki, and the farming households that provide for her company. The partnership with Lotopoha Trading, facilitated by PHAMA Plus, is set to drive inclusive economic growth by enabling farming communities, specifically women from the Eastern District, to avail themselves of the advantages of upgraded packing facilities.
Likewise, Olivia Philpott, the First Secretary – Development of the New Zealand High Commission Nuku’alofa, has demonstrated her endorsement of the partnership between Lotopoha Trading and PHAMA Plus. The collaboration’s objective is to enhance Tonga’s root crops export capacity, thereby promoting inclusive economic growth by enabling farming communities, particularly women from the Eastern District, to access the advantages of upgraded packing facilities.
Enhanced Root Crops Outputs and Capacity
According to Tevita Lautaha, the Country Manager of PHAMA Plus Tonga, the completion of the new multi-purpose packhouse facility for root crops will offer tremendous benefits to farming households in the Eastern District, resulting in enhanced and upgraded root crops outputs and capacity to cater to both existing and potential markets. With the new facility in place, the 50 farming households in the village will be able to cultivate a total of 100 acres of land, which will contribute to sustained productivity and consistency in supplying the newly built processing plant. As part of PHAMA Plus’ commitment to gender, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI), the development of a Workplace and Domestic Violence Policy for Lotopoha is being supported, primarily to benefit the factory workers and growers who are mostly women. This initiative will be carried out in close collaboration with the Tonga National Centre for Women and Children.
Improved Export Capacity
The partnership between Lotopoha Export Trading and PHAMA Plus is an extension of their earlier collaboration, which aimed to boost Tonga’s root crops export capacity and comply with rising quality standards and market demands. The newly constructed multi-purpose packhouse facility will enable the processing and packing of fresh produce, which will meet the minimum food safety requirements necessary for exports to formal markets in the United States, New Zealand, and Australia. Additionally, the partnership with PHAMA Plus will assist Lotopoha in getting ready for HACCP and the FDA auditing, accreditations, and certification.
A Significant Step for Tonga’s Eastern District
Despite being one of the biggest districts that supply large volumes of root crops for exports, Tongatapu’s Eastern District has lacked a proper processing facility for the increased volumes of processing and packing of root crops for exports. The new multi-purpose packhouse facility is a significant step towards improving the export capability of root crops in Tonga.
Support from PHAMA Plus
Cassie Cohen, the First Secretary of the Australian High Commission to Tonga, has voiced her backing for the new multi-purpose packhouse facility for root crops, citing Australia’s support through PHAMA Plus for Tonga’s sole female root crops exporter, Melesisi Finefeuiaki, and the farming households that provide for her company. The partnership with Lotopoha Trading, facilitated by PHAMA Plus, is set to drive inclusive economic growth by enabling farming communities, specifically women from the Eastern District, to avail themselves of the advantages of upgraded packing facilities.
Likewise, Olivia Philpott, the First Secretary – Development of the New Zealand High Commission Nuku’alofa, has demonstrated her endorsement of the partnership between Lotopoha Trading and PHAMA Plus. The collaboration’s objective is to enhance Tonga’s root crops export capacity, thereby promoting inclusive economic growth by enabling farming communities, particularly women from the Eastern District, to access the advantages of upgraded packing facilities.
Enhanced Root Crops Outputs and Capacity
According to Tevita Lautaha, the Country Manager of PHAMA Plus Tonga, the completion of the new multi-purpose packhouse facility for root crops will offer tremendous benefits to farming households in the Eastern District, resulting in enhanced and upgraded root crops outputs and capacity to cater to both existing and potential markets. With the new facility in place, the 50 farming households in the village will be able to cultivate a total of 100 acres of land, which will contribute to sustained productivity and consistency in supplying the newly built processing plant. As part of PHAMA Plus’ commitment to gender, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI), the development of a Workplace and Domestic Violence Policy for Lotopoha is being supported, primarily to benefit the factory workers and growers who are mostly women. This initiative will be carried out in close collaboration with the Tonga National Centre for Women and Children.
