Supply chain and marketing of sea grapes, Caulerpa racemosa (Forsskål) J. Agardh (Chlorophyta: Caulerpaceae) in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga

Morris, Cherie W. and Bala, Shirleen and South, Graham R. and Lako, Jimaima V. and Lober, M. and Simos, T. (2014) Supply chain and marketing of sea grapes, Caulerpa racemosa (Forsskål) J. Agardh (Chlorophyta: Caulerpaceae) in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. Journal of Applied Phycology, 26 (2). pp. 783-789. ISSN 0921-8971

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Abstract

This report describes for the first time the supply
chain of Caulerpa racemosa in three Pacific Island countries. The harvesting and marketing of C. racemosa are important subsistence activities for villagers in Fiji and Samoa, less so in Tonga. At least 150 harvesters are involved in Fiji, some 100 in Samoa and only a handful in Tonga. The annual combined crop is of some 123 t valued at around US$266,492. In Fiji, it is projected that supply does not meet local demand and there is a potential export market that is currently operating at a pilot project level. In Samoa, the supply is considered adequate for the current market. In Tonga, harvesting is carried out by a few families and supplies a niche market in that country. The
possibilities of field cultivation of Caulerpa have been explored but, at present, with only limited success in Samoa. The supply chain is simple in all three countries, and only in Fiji are middlemen involved in the distribution process. The limitations for marketing include the fact that only a few sites supply most of the crop in all the three countries, that all sites need to be conserved through sustainable harvesting methods, the short shelf life of the crop and a lack of information on the carrying capacity of harvest sites. Caulerpa remains a crop that fulfills a niche market but has the potential to be scaled up for additional livelihood development in the future.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	S Agriculture > SH Aquaculture. Fisheries. Angling
Divisions:	Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment (FSTE) > School of Marine Studies Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment (FSTE) > School of Biological and Chemical Sciences Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment (FSTE) > Institute of Marine Resources
Depositing User:	Generic Account
Date Deposited:	22 Apr 2014 04:43
Last Modified:	11 May 2016 03:39
URI:	https://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/7370

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