27 Feb 2012

Samoa nonu juice business under threat

9:54 am on 27 February 2012

The association of nonu fruit juice exporters in Samoa has called on local sellers and farmers for patience as their production is under threat because of the international recession.

The association says it cannot absorb the current supply of nonu fruits and the situatiation is beyond its control.

In a public statement, the president of the association, Vui Garry, says the association is temporarily putting on hold the purchase of nonu fruits because of the oversupply.

He is blaming one company, Pure Pacifica, which is not a member of the association for increasing the price when it first opened production in Samoa last year.

The Pure Pacifica is exporting nonu juice to China but recently been accused by several nonu sellers of delaying payments for their nonu fruits.

The association president says the increase of price by producers is causing considerable resistance from both existing customers and any potential new customers to buy the fruit causing a contraction in demand as well as damaging the industry.