Samoa says it hopes to build on exports of fresh breadfruit and pawpaw to New Zealand and send pineapples, mangoes and Tahitian limes as well.
Samoa has been sending about 1600 kilogrammes of fresh breadfruit to New Zealand each week for two years following introduction of heat treatment to combat fruit fly larvae.
Officials from Samoa's Agriculture Ministry visited New Zealand last week to mark the successful resumption of the breadfruit trade following an interruption.
The acting assistant director of the Ministry's quarantine division, Joseph Kauati, says it's now focussing on widening the trade to other fresh fruit as well.
"At present the papaya, pawpaw, is coming through with the breadfruit. Now if New Zealand would allow these fresh fruits to come over, why can't they allow the other fruits, such as pineapples, mangoes, Tahitian limes. We are now going to go to New Zealand and ask them, Can you allow these since you've allowed the other fresh produce?'"
