One of three new taro varieties developed by the Crops Division of the Nu'u Research Centre of Samoa's Ministry of Agriculture, has been named after Samoa's Minister of Agriculture, Taua Kitiona.
Talo Taua is among the top three varieties the researchers came up with , that are resistant to the taro blight and may be closer to the taste of the Talo Niue regarded as the top choice by taro lovers.
The other varieties which the ministry launched are Talo So'o , named after the research consultant, Sooalo A Peters and Talo Tonu for Senior Officer Ricky Faatonu.
The new varieties are the product of several years of on-going tests and trials by the research centre, working closely with the University of the South Pacific School of Agriculture at Alafua.
The Ministry of Agriculture presented more than a thousand taro shoots of the new varieties to guests at the launching including Prime Minister Tuilaepe Sailele, himself a keen farmer.
