ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SHOW 2018

Monday, October 1st, 2018

The Royal Agricultural, Fisheries, Tourism and Trade show is a national event for Tonga which brings together farmers, fisherman, women and handicrafts, local businesses and Tourism sector. It is also significant as this is a great opportunity for the people to meet their majesties during their visits on this occasion.

The Royal Agricultural, Fisheries, Tourism and Trade show 2018 first started from Ha’apai on the 23^rd June 2018. The rest of the other island followed using this schedule Vava’u 13^th July 2018, Niuatoputapu 18^th July 2018, Niuafo’ou 19^th July 2018, ‘Eua 25^th July 2018 and finally Tongatapu 28^th July 2018.The theme for this year royal agricultural show was “Kina Umu Tali ki Tahi”.

This event is vital to the nation as this is one of the ways to perceive the status of food security, economic performance and tourism capacity of Tonga. The stakeholders who were involved in this event getting a handshake and a visit from King Tupou VI. That is a big pat on back comforting all the difficulties encountered along with a great energy received for the continuation of their great effort hard work.

There were two categories for the Royal Agricultural show events and they were the prejudge and field competition. The prejudge competitions were assessed before the agricultural show day. The prejudge competition comprises of twelve classes. This includes competition for best tax allotments, root crops, fruit trees, vegetables, commercial crops, livestock, ornamental and cultural plants, villages, new crops, fisheries, special prizes and shelters.

A total of 97 items from 11 classes of events available for farmers to registered for prejudge competition. A total of 191 registered items for prejudge events.

The other competition for the agricultural show was the field events. This event is why farmers and women bring in the crops, seedlings, livestock and handicrafts to the show ground and hence the fundamental base for the agricultural show happening. The competition for the agricultural show in this category was mainly focused on the diversification of agricultural products such as the biggest and most variety of yam available.

One of the highlights for this year agricultural show was,the acknowledgement of two farmers who were over 80 years of age and also one farmer who has demonstrated in Tonga the Thailand model farming system, a system that was highly endorsed by his Majesty.