Food in Tonga

Tonga's food supply depends substantially on imports, but household production remains significant. In 2021, 49% of private households harvested root crops, although only 16% of those households sold some of their harvest. Cassava, also called manioke, accounted for about 31% of harvested root crops, followed by Talo Tonga at 20%, yam at 16%, Talo Futuna at 14%, kape at 8% and sweet potato at 8%. Breadfruit, bananas and coconut are also common local foods. Fish and other seafood support household meals, livelihoods and exports. Common local foods include ika, feke, u'o, kuku, limu and tukumisi. Access depends on the season, weather, island, transport and local infrastructure. Urban areas offer more restaurants, while rural households generally consume more meat and vegetables. Restaurants are concentrated around Nuku'alofa and Tongatapu and around Neiafu in Vava'u. Hotels, cafés and lunch counters serve Tongan food as well as French, German, Italian, Japanese and Taiwanese dishes. Fish can also be bought at places such as Tui Mata Moana, Taufa'ahau Wharf and Halaevalu Wharf. Local dishes include 'ota 'ika, raw fish prepared with lemon and coconut cream; lu pulu, meat or corned beef with onion and coconut milk wrapped in taro leaves; feke, octopus or squid in coconut sauce; and 'ufi, a large white yam. Taro, cassava, plantain and tropical fruit commonly accompany meals. An umu is an earth oven used for cooking, especially for communal meals and feasts. A pola is a woven coconut-palm serving platter, and a feast may contain many dishes, including suckling pig, crayfish, chicken, octopus, pork, vegetables and fruit. Household expenditure on food, beverages and catering averaged TOP 2,081 per month in the 2021 Household Income and Expenditure Survey, with a median of TOP 1,774. Spending was highest in urban Tongatapu and lowest in 'Eua. Food and non-alcoholic beverages represented 42.6% of the consumer price index, while imported food represented 25.1% and local food 17.5% in the cited food profile. The profile estimates average consumption at 2,930 kilocalories per person per day and TOP 4.80 per 1,000 kilocalories, but these are apparent-consumption figures rather than individual dietary records. Cereals, tubers and meat provide much of the energy supply; root crops and tubers provide 45% of energy from household production, while cereals and meat provide 48% of purchased energy. Food accounts for about 53% of income in the profile. A market survey conducted from 10 to 15 August 2026 reported indicative average prices per kilogram of TOP 0.99 for manioke, TOP 2.40 for sweet potato, TOP 1.88 for Talo Tonga, TOP 4.81 for potatoes and TOP 10.74 for early 'ufi tokamu'a. These figures mainly cover Tongatapu and Vava'u and do not represent fixed national prices. Cyclones, drought linked to El Niño, rising temperatures, sea-level rise, disasters and transport interruptions can change availability and prices quickly. The Food Act 2020 assigns national food authority functions to the Minister, with the Food Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forests handling standards, laboratory analysis, inspection, certification, import and export controls and food education. A food business generally needs a food licence or permit as well as a business licence, must pay the applicable fee and must display the approval. Medical clearances, suitable premises, hygiene, traceability, labelling and food-waste requirements also apply. Imported food is subject to required documents and inspection at the port, and marine products must meet sanitary standards. Authorities can issue compliance notices, seize food, close premises or order a recall. Food production and fisheries policy increasingly links supply with climate resilience. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forests' 2025–2028 plan supports local livestock, vegetables and fruit, import substitution, regenerative and circular farming, and a target of planting one million trees by 2026. Its import-substitution targets include reducing chicken imports by US$4.5 million and potato imports by US$2.25 million by 2028. The Ministry of Fisheries' 2024–2028 plan uses licences, quotas, ecosystem protection, habitat measures, monitoring, enforcement, community stewardship, aquaculture and fish-aggregating devices to manage marine resources.