American Samoa will soon be able to get farm fresh eggs imported from Samoa

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — In addition to meat from Samoa being imported into the territory, the Department of Agriculture has given the green light for Sunshine Pacific to export eggs on a weekly basis to be sold in local stores.

The Samoa Government reported this is one of the benefits of the Atoa o Samoa talks held last month and issued this statement:

 “Sunshine Pacific is reaping the Atoa o Samoa Executive Meeting fruits of hard labor — with the American Samoa Department of Agriculture giving the green light for the locally owned company to export eggs, which are now on commercial shelves in the territory.

 “The first egg shipment was transported earlier this week according to Company Director Pitovaomanaia Mayday Cin and Sunshine Pacific is building up her capacities to meet their new market’s demand of 50 cartons a week. 

 “It’s no secret that the American Samoa export window guarantees lucrative returns due to the growing strength of the mighty U.S. dollar.

“And local export businesses have been searching for opportunities to tap into that window of opportunity.”

Last month ASG granted a long-term request by the Samoa Government to import meat into the US territory.

While this is now effective, there are guidelines that need to be ironed out, such as the quantity.

Gov. Lemanu P. S. Mauga confirmed this during the press conference following the closing of the Atoa o Samoa executive talks in October.

Lemanu also confirmed the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) had already conducted its inspection of Samoa’s raw meat and has given the green light.

In 2016 the USDOA put a ban on raw meat from Samoa on the basis that they do not have a USDA-certified abattoir, which raised food security concerns. it was then lifted in 2019 by ASG for personal consumption and funerals, but then not long after it was banned again by the USDA. 

According to the Samoa government, after years of fruitless negotiations and bi-lateral talks with the territorial government and USDA to relax its import regulations, the revived annual talks between the two Samoas this year has at last provided leverage, which is now allowing processed meat products and locally grown vegetables and crops for exports to American Samoa.

 “Armed with the authorization to proceed at the conclusion of last Atoa o Samoa Executive Meeting in Apia in October, the territory’s Director of Agriculture Solia Mutini after a firsthand inspection of Sunshine Pacific Poultry and Hydroponics Vegetable Farms at Tanumalala granted certifications, which gives the green light for the local company to export eggs and vegetables to American Samoa.

 “Solia and his delegation from American Samoa also completed preliminary inspection of the company’s poultry slaughter house at Mulifanua, the second major investment initiated by Sunshine Pacific.

 “The company is also targeting American Samoa as an export market for their locally processed chicken meat for consumption once they satisfy the federal and territorial governments’ requirements.”

Sunshine Pacific was established in 2018 with the poultry farm at the Tanumalala based Sunshine Pacific Poultry Farm on free hold lands and have since expanded to secure a long term lease at Mulifanua from the Samoa Trust Estate Cooperation to cater for their chicken meat farm and processing plant.