Ageing trees threaten Samoa coconut exports

A senior official in Samoa says the country's coconut export industry is under threat if a stringent replanting programme is not implemented.

The agriculture ministry's chief executive, Moafanua Tolo Iosefo, told theĀ Samoa ObserverĀ about 80 percent of the country's trees are old and cannot hope to meet global demand.

He says there are major concerns that coconut production is declining, but a community-based replanting programme could help maintain exports.

Moafanua says the government hopes to replant up to 90 percent of coconut plantations in the next five years.