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Saipan aims to hop on noni bandwagon
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Posted on Mar 31 2006
The CNMI’s agricultural experts are planning to engage in the commercial production of noni not only on Tinian but also on Saipan, as demand of the product remains high not only in Japan but also in South Korea.
Visiting officers and members of the Hong Song City Agriculture Association of Korea said the CNMI has the potential to export noni and guava juices, saying that demand for the products in the Asian country is high.
The Korean group, an association of farmers in Korea, made a four-day visit to Saipan and inspected farms on the island.
Isidoro Cabrera, agricultural consultant to the Northern Marianas College’s Cooperative Research and Extension Service, said the CNMI will respond to the challenge.
“Since demand in Korea is high, commercial production is needed,” Cabrera said.
Cabrera disclosed that Saipan has begun planting noni, but the noni farms only have a total area of less than three acres. He said the magnitude of the current noni farming just serves local consumption.
For commercial consumption, Saipan has to have more than 20 acres of noni farms. This, however, may be accomplished in two to three years, added Cabrera. “In that way, we can start exporting noni.”
CREES has also been working with the Tinian Mayor’s Office, which plans to develop up to 250 hectares of noni farms on Tinian.
Dr. Thomas D. Arkle, the mayor’s special consultant for resource development, said the island’s chief executive anticipates the worldwide popularity of this herbal supplement as another revenue generating project on Tinian, on top of the influx of multi-million-dollar casino investments and the possible relocation of Marine troops from Okinawa, Japan to the island.
Arkle disclosed that Tinian already has about 50,000 noni seedlings in the early stage of growth. At this stage, Arkle disclosed that Japanese consumers have already been communicating with the Tinian government regarding noni products.
