Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with New Zealand’s Ministry of Primary Industries, has developed a roadmap for exporting fresh produce from the Cook Islands to New Zealand.

This promising development was revealed in the ministry’s Annual Performance Report for the year ending June 30, 2023, which was presented in Parliament last week.

The report states the ministry has been busy providing nursery services, biosecurity, importation certificates and corporate services.

It explains the Cook Islands’ current inability to export fresh produce due to the presence of fruit flies and the absence of treatment facilities, like heat treatment plants.

However, the report states the ministry has a comprehensive export plan that would provide processes and procedures from planting to harvest to enable fresh produce exports even without a dedicated treatment facility.

The ministry also reviewed its import specifications for meat products from New Zealand such as lamb and poultry, the report says.

According to the report, staff at the ministry were provided training to enhance their plant diagnostic, surveillance and response capabilities as part of Pacific Biosecurity Partnership (EPBP) programme, courtesy of the support from New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This also included in-house training workshops and attachment in New Zealand for three biosecurity officers.

The ministry had also provided nursery services to farmers through seedlings, fertiliser and farming inputs, and technical advice and tractor services.

Meanwhile, the ministry has continued its support to 12 schools in Rarotonga and the Pa Enua in terms of garden projects.

The ministry says it is proud of Rakahanga School for utilising the cube gardens provided to them to grow vegetables.