In 2017, coconut seednuts are bougth by MAF at the price of 0.5 Tala in selected farms. Large healthy seednuts are selected from the heap. Seednuts from each farm are sown in separated seedbeds. MAF sells back the germinated seednuts to farmers at the price of 0.2 Talas.
In Nuu Research station, it is estimated that in 2017 about 19000 seedlings of Samoan Tall are bougth from farms; only about 30% germinate and give about 5700 Samoan Tall seedlings; and only 1100 Samoan Tall seedlings (6% of the total seednuts and 19% of the germinated) are sold back to farmers, plus about 330 hybrids (??? or seednuts harvested on hybrids) and 266 Niu le'a Dwarf seedlings.
In Savai'i, the expert was told that 200 seedlings of Samoa Tall are released to farmers per week, so about 10 000 per year, but we did not access to the detail of the data.
Analysis of the data shows that:
At Nuu research station
In Nuu Research station, it is estimated that in 2017 about 19000 seedlings of Samoan Tall are bougth from farms; only about 30% germinate and give about 5700 Samoan Tall seedlings; and only 1100 Samoan Tall seedlings (6% of the total seednuts and 19% of the germinated) are sold back to farmers, plus about 330 hybrids (??? or seednuts harvested on hybrids) and 266 Niu le'a Dwarf seedlings.
In Savai'i, the expert was told that 200 seedlings of Samoa Tall are released to farmers per week, so about 10 000 per year, but we did not access to the detail of the data.
Analysis of the data shows that:
- the demand is low, the germinating rate is low and 94% of the seednuts bougth on farms seems to be finally lost.
- There is a demand for not only Samoan Tall, but also for Hybrids and Dwarf varieties
- The number of seedlings released by MAF remains limited, with a maximum of 12000 per year, corresponding to the plantation of about 80 hectares or 198 acres per year, which is stronger under the country needs.
At Nuu research station
In 2017, M.
Pueata Tamelu, principal Crops Development Officer (685 7260748/685 23416,
email pueata.tamelu@maf.gov.ws is in charge of the coconut
nursery at Nuu Research Station.
Coconut seednuts purchased from farmers by MAF in Upolu in 2017
These data allow to estimate that, at the present time, about coconut 19000 seednuts are purchased yearly by MAF.
Coconut seednuts purchased from farmers by MAF in Upolu in 2017
These data allow to estimate that, at the present time, about coconut 19000 seednuts are purchased yearly by MAF.
Date
|
First Name
|
Last Name
|
Village
|
Variety
|
Quantity
|
10/04/2017
|
Fatu
|
Timo
|
Matautu Falealili
|
Samoan Tall
|
1000
|
20/04/2017
|
Fuimaono
|
Rimoni
|
Salani/Falealili
|
Samoan Tall
|
1450
|
30/05/2017
|
Fatu
|
Timo
|
Matautu Falealili
|
Samoan Tall
|
430
|
11/08/2017
|
Sinalofutu
|
Tavita
|
Tuanai /Leauvaa
|
Samoan Tall
|
525
|
11/08/2017
|
Fatu
|
Timo
|
Matautu Falealili
|
Samoan Tall
|
1060
|
16/08/2017
|
Leafa
|
Ah-Kee
|
Savaia Lefaga
|
Samoan Tall
|
150
|
18/08/2017
|
Fuimaono
|
Rimoni
|
Salani/Falealili
|
Samoan Tall
|
1100
|
23/08/2017
|
Fuimaono
|
Rimoni
|
Salani/Falealili
|
Samoan Tall
|
800
|
23/08/2017
|
Fatu
|
Timo
|
Matautu Falealili
|
Samoan Tall
|
180
|
24/08/2017
|
Victoria
|
Nansen
|
Leauvaa - uta
|
Samoan Tall
|
500
|
20/09/2017
|
Fuimaono
|
Rimoni
|
Salani/Falealili
|
Samoan Tall
|
730
|
29/09/2017
|
Samoa Methodist
|
Land Development
|
Faleula
|
Samoan Tall
|
860
|
05/10/2017
|
Samoa Methodist
|
Land Development
|
Faleula
|
Samoan Tall
|
797
|
20/10/2017
|
Samoa Methodist
|
Land Development
|
Faleula
|
Samoan Tall
|
630
|
08/11/2017
|
Samoa Methodist
|
Land Development
|
Faleula
|
Samoan Tall
|
650
|
Total number of
seednuts purchased from farmers
during a 212 days period |
Samoan Tall
|
10862
|
|||
Estimation of
seednuts bought per year
(212 to 365 days) |
Samoan Tall
|
18701
|
|||
Germination rates in the Nursery of Nuu research station.
in 2017, the germination rate of the coconut seednuts is in average 21%, so far under the international standard, wich is 80% of germination. Thus, nursery techniques at Nuu Research centre need thus to be improved. It must be noted that for some of the data (marqued by a *) not all the seednuts have yet germinated because they were sowed less than one month before counting.
Farmer Name
|
Amount of Seednuts
|
Number of germinated seednuts
|
No of Non Germinated seednuts
|
percentage of germination
|
Deviation from standart (80%)
|
Fuimaono Rimoni
|
4080
|
1263
|
2817
|
31
|
-49
|
Fatu Timo
|
2670
|
422
|
2248
|
16
|
-64
|
Sinalofutu Tavita
|
525
|
182
|
343
|
35
|
-45
|
Leafa Ah- Kee
|
150
|
68
|
82
|
45
|
-35
|
Victoria Nansen
|
500
|
160
|
340
|
32
|
-48
|
Samoa Methodist Land Development *
|
2937
|
189
|
2748
|
6
|
-74
|
Total
|
10862
|
2284
|
8578
|
21
|
-59
|
Number of seednuts released to farmers from the Nursery of Nuu research station.
It is estimated that the number of seedlings released to farmers by Nu'u Research Station is presently about 1700 per year. Only 65% are from the Samoan Tall variety; 20% are hybrids (????) or seednuts harvested on hybrids,
It is estimated that the number of seedlings released to farmers by Nu'u Research Station is presently about 1700 per year. Only 65% are from the Samoan Tall variety; 20% are hybrids (????) or seednuts harvested on hybrids,
Date
|
First name
|
Last name
|
Village
|
Variety
|
Quantity
|
30/01/2017
|
Sailo
|
Pao
|
Falelatai
|
Local
|
50
|
20/02/2017
|
SVS
|
SVS
|
Tuanaimato
|
Local
|
20
|
22/02/2017
|
Faleponiu
|
Fialelei
|
Sataoa
|
Local
|
50
|
27/02/2017
|
Tui
|
Tafili
|
Falevao
|
Hybrid
|
50
|
07/03/2017
|
Sauoleola
|
Fialelei
|
Sataoa
|
Hybrid
|
50
|
25/01/2017
|
Ieti
|
Ieti
|
Nuu
|
Hybrid
|
10
|
27/01/2017
|
Tanoa
|
Tusitala
|
Apia
|
Local
|
3
|
27/01/2017
|
Petelo
|
Petelo
|
Lotopa
|
Local
|
25
|
02/01/2017
|
Eric
|
Eric
|
Papauta
|
Hybrid
|
25
|
02/09/2017
|
Sieona
|
Sieona
|
Aleisa
|
Hybrid
|
8
|
16/02/2017
|
Vito
|
Vito
|
Nuu
|
Local
|
25
|
21/02/2017
|
Sema
|
Sema
|
Saluafata
|
Hybrid
|
100
|
03/09/2017
|
Tausala
|
Tausala
|
Leauvaa
|
Local
|
200
|
09/03/2017
|
Tapelu
|
Tapelu
|
Siumu
|
Local
|
100
|
13/03/2017
|
Timo
|
Timo
|
Aleipata
|
Local
|
200
|
30/05/2017
|
Ina
|
Mose
|
Faleula
|
Le’a
|
10
|
06/05/2017
|
Fonofili
|
Puepuemai
|
Vailoa
|
Le’a
|
10
|
24/07/2017
|
Silia
|
Silia
|
Vaitele Fou
|
Local
|
20
|
31/07/2017
|
Faaolo
|
Faaolo
|
Puipaa
|
Le’a
|
20
|
10/04/2017
|
Finau
|
Finau
|
Vaivase
|
Local
|
5
|
17/10/2017
|
Mapu
|
Atonio
|
Faleula
|
Local
|
100
|
18/10/2017
|
Sataga
|
Sataga
|
Magiagi
|
Le’a
|
30
|
19/10/2017
|
Ponifasio
|
Ponifasio
|
Tanumalala
|
Le’a
|
25
|
19/10/2017
|
Asi
|
Vaasa
|
Siusega
|
Le’a
|
50
|
25/10/2017
|
Eteuati
|
Faua
|
Magiagi
|
Le’a
|
50
|
Total
for 268 Days
|
1236
|
||||
Estimated
total for one year (365/268)
|
1683
|
||||
Percentage and total Samoan Tall for 268 days
|
65
%
|
798
|
|||
Percentage and total hybrid (????) for 268 days
|
20
%
|
243
|
|||
Percentage and total
Niu le'a for 268 days
|
16
%
|
195
|
|||
The ratio Equatorial/longitudinal circumference measure the general shape of the fruit: the more this ratio is high, the more the fruits or the coconut without husk are roundish.
The fruits tagged A have a slightly more roundish shape, but the coconut inside is not bigger. Thus, this small experiment indicates that the traditional selection criteria used in French Polynesia is not efficient in the case of Samoan Tall variety.
Whole fruit with husk
|
Coconut without husk
|
|||||
Equatorial circum-ference
(cm) |
Longitudinal circum-
ference (cm) |
Ratio
Equatorial/ Longitudinal cicumferences |
Equatorial circum-ference
(cm) |
Longitudinal circum-
ference (cm) |
Ratio Equatorial
/Longitudinal cicumferences |
|
A1
|
57
|
64
|
0,89
|
40
|
39
|
1,03
|
A2
|
37
|
63
|
0,59
|
38
|
41
|
0,93
|
A3
|
30
|
58
|
0,52
|
34
|
36
|
0,94
|
A4
|
96
|
71
|
1,35
|
45
|
44
|
1,02
|
A5
|
53
|
62
|
0,85
|
38
|
39
|
0,97
|
A6
|
37
|
37
|
1,00
|
37
|
37
|
1,00
|
A7
|
50
|
58
|
0,86
|
34
|
38
|
0,89
|
A8
|
55
|
61
|
0,90
|
26
|
35
|
0,74
|
A9
|
51
|
61
|
0,84
|
36
|
39
|
0,92
|
A10
|
50
|
59
|
0,85
|
35
|
38
|
0,92
|
B1
|
52
|
60
|
0,87
|
39
|
38
|
1,03
|
B2
|
52
|
62
|
0,84
|
37
|
41
|
0,90
|
B3
|
19
|
57
|
0,33
|
36
|
37
|
0,97
|
B4
|
59
|
62
|
0,95
|
39
|
40
|
0,98
|
B5
|
54
|
67
|
0,81
|
40
|
39
|
1,03
|
B6
|
54
|
63
|
0,86
|
34
|
37
|
0,92
|
B7
|
47
|
62
|
0,76
|
38
|
40
|
0,95
|
B8
|
60
|
68
|
0,88
|
40
|
41
|
0,98
|
B9
|
62
|
69
|
0,90
|
42
|
44
|
0,95
|
B10
|
46
|
55
|
0,84
|
34
|
38
|
0,89
|
Average A
|
51,6
|
59,4
|
0,87
|
36,3
|
38,6
|
0,94
|
Average B
|
50,5
|
62,5
|
0,81
|
37,9
|
39,5
|
0,96
|
Average A/Average B
|
1,02
|
0,95
|
1,08
|
0,96
|
0,98
|
0,98
|
We also counted the number of seednuts germinating from peduncle eye and from the top of the fruit in different seedbeds coming from different farms. In average, only 15% of the seednuts germinate from the peduncle eye. The fact that this percentage is much higher for the farm "Samoa Methodist Land Development" probably indicate that this farm grows a different variety, of a distinct selection made within the Samoan Tall variety.
Farmer Name
|
Number of seednuts germinating from peduncle eye
|
Number of seednuts germinating from top
|
Percentage
germinating from eye |
Fuimaono Rimoni
|
176
|
1087
|
14
|
Fatu Timo
|
50
|
372
|
12
|
Sinalofutu Tavita
|
20
|
162
|
11
|
Leafa Ah- Kee
|
10
|
58
|
15
|
Victoria Nansen
|
20
|
140
|
13
|
Samoa Methodist Land Development
|
60
|
119
|
34
|
Total
|
336
|
1938
|
15
|
Nursery in Savai'i
The MAF Coconut nursery is located in Salelologan at the Salailua agriculture centre. On 21 November 2017, we visited the nursery with Petero Lepou (Senoir agronomist officer at Nuu). We met the entension officer in charge, Mapusua (Family name) and we also visited two farms. About 200 seedlings per week are said to be released to farmers in 2017.
