Vanuatu’s peanut industry is set to receive a major boost as the Vanuatu Agriculture Research and Technical Centre (VARTC) prepares to introduce new high-yield varieties of peanuts.

VARTC CEO Staeglar Tabiaga told VBTC News that the centre is receiving six new peanut species from Australia, which will be distributed to local farmers after trials.

“With the ongoing research on peanuts, this variety can produce up to 4.5 to 5 tonnes per hectare. It will bring big value, and provide a leeway if we are thinking of building a peanut industry to give farmers an economic boost,” he said.

The CEO added that farmers should not worry about cross-breeding issues, as the new varieties are self-pollinating and carry little risk of affecting existing local peanuts.

“Few farmers are worried that these new varieties can change the existing varieties by cross breeding, but these peanuts are self-pollinated. There’s about a 99% chance of no cross-pollination because pollination happens in closed flowers,” Tabiaga explained.

Vanuatu farmers are currently relying on 2 peanut varieties for commercial production. The introduction of the new species is expected to significantly increase yields and support agribusiness growth.