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| Share of noni market value by smaller |
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| Ripe noni fruits |
Noni (Morinda citrifolia L) is one such potential plant specie that is indigenous to PNG and grows extensively throughout the Pacific.
Not only has it been used as a traditional or bush medicine in PNG but also a source of antioxidants and medicine for today’s contemporary world.
The worldwide market for noni products is growing with most productions coming from the Pacific.
However, PNG has not produced noni commercially even through it is rated as one of the top 10 Pacific Island countries with potential for noni production.
But the interest for noni in the country is evidenced with the informal sector producing noni products for local markets despite unavailability of standards to monitor and safe guard the quality aspects of the products for improved markets.
Noni grows prolifically anywhere even under very harsh conditions such as the coral atolls, providing it a good crop for populace in disadvantaged or marginalised regions of PNG.
The medicinal properties of Noni were discovered more than 2000 years ago, by the Polynesians, who imported the fruit from Southeast Asia .
Today the noni fruits are eaten in many parts of the world, mainly in the Pacific Islands , Southeast Asia and Australia
Though the ripe noni fruit has a not so pleasant taste and odour, all parts of the noni plant can be used: roots, stems, bark, leaves, and flowers and of course the fruits.
Noni has been reported to have a range of health benefits for colds, cancer, diabetes, asthma, hypertension, pain, skin infection, high blood pressure, mental depression, atherosclerosis and arthritis.
Those who recovered from illness after eating the noni fruit called it “the fruit of God”.
In 2003, noni juice was approved by the European Commission as a novel food and was allowed to be commercialised in the EU.
At the global market, a 2008 joint report by FAO/WHO on food standards programme indicated that the noni market was estimated to be a US$ 400 million in 2001 to a US$ 2 billion industry in 2006.
This is a huge market, providing an opportunity for PNG to explore and benefit.
PNG can learn from other smaller Pacific Island
A 2009 Samoa Morinda Citrifolia (nonu) Case study report on Samoa noni indicates that the Tahitian Noni International (TNI), a US-based company operating in Tahiti, which is currently one of the leading producers of noni, has made US$ 33 million in 1997, the first year of its operation, US$ 2 billion in 2003 and over 4 billion by 2008.
Captivated by this meteoric growth of TNI and the high prices being paid for noni products (particularly juice), several countries in the Pacific have commenced their own commercial production and export to large number of countries like Australia, New Zealand, USA, Japan and Europe.
Amongst these were Cook Islands, Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Samoa and several others, but overall Samoa achieved the greatest success in terms of sustained export value and volume.
The drive in this industry especially in Samoa is through the private sector.
The growing use and consumption of noni cosmetics and food supplements present a good opportunity for development in PNG.
However, even with the informal sector interest, there are key issues that need to be addressed for this industry to take off.
A collaborative effort is required from different parties along the value chain.
There is need for collaboration and partnership between research and development organisations, extension agencies, processors or marketers (private sector), smallholder farmers, and policy makers for this development.
Thorough research is needed into post-harvest (processing and quality control), markets, and product development issues as these are the very important links to development.
The findings will help scope out the feasibility of this crop as a new industry with the development of standards enabling quality assured noni production for both the domestic and export markets.
Current research at NARI involves the collection and assembling of a number of noni varieties that exist in different costal forests of PNG.
Propagation techniques have been identified through research for mass propagation and production of crops true-to-type for commercial development.
Research into components of the value chains is vital as recognised by NARI and will be pursued to create information needed for the establishment of this industry.
Other organisations like Ramu Agri-Business (RAI) and the Department of Agriculture and Livestock are also recognising the importance of this crop with RAI incorporating it in its diversification programme.
Noni is a potential cash crop for PNG and stakeholders need to collaborate and encourage partnership for its development for revenue generation and growth.
With the current market opportunities, noni is sure to have a good future market prospect.
This is a huge potential to value adding and linking farmers to markets.
It also offers alternatives in light of emerging challenges such as climate change and pest and disease outbreak (eg.cocoa pod borer).
The development of this crop to industry level will contribute to creating employment and improving income for the rural population, and contribute to improved and sustained economic growth.
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