VBS Leads Nation's First Fully Integrated Farm-to-Export System as Santo National Packhouse is Commissioned

Port Vila, Vanuatu – The Vanuatu Bureau of Standards (VBS), as the lead agency designated under Council of Ministers Decision No. 51 of 2025, has achieved a historic milestone with the official commissioning of the Santo National Packhouse – marking the completion of Vanuatu's first fully integrated farm-to-export system.

The packhouse was formally commissioned last Thursday by Prime Minister Jotham Napat, accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Johnny Koanapo, Minister of Trade and Commerce Samson Samsen, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Rick Tchamako Mahe, Minister of Foreign Affairs Marc Ati, and Minister of Agriculture Ian Toakalana Wilson.

From Vanuatu Organic Farms to National and International Markets

The Santo National Packhouse represents the culmination of a fully coordinated national system that brings together multiple government agencies and private sector partners under one unified framework. From Vanuatu's organic farms to national and international shelves, every step is guided by standards, quality assurance, and traceability.

Grown in volcanic soil, pure organic – only the best. Vanuatu's highest standard of organic produce is now reaching the world through this integrated export pathway.

The Bodies Involved – A Fully Coordinated National System

Together, we delivered.

Standards, Quality, and the SOP: The Heart of the Export Pathway

At the core of this historic achievement is the Standards Operating Procedure (SOP) – the main route that VBS has established to ensure every product meets the highest quality standards from farm to table. As VBS CEO Atanas Pipite consistently emphasises, "Standards are not a barrier – they are our passport to the world. The SOP is the main route we follow to keep quality from farm to your table, meeting the highest quality and organic standards that are best for your wellbeing and your family."

The Santo National Packhouse operates under strict VBS-certified SOPs that guide every step of the export process:

• From Farm: DARD trains farmers in good agricultural practices, proper harvesting techniques, and post-harvest handling to preserve freshness and nutritional value.
• Through Biosecurity: Biosecurity Vanuatu provides phytosanitary certification, ensuring all exports meet international health and safety requirements.
• Through the Packhouse: Market Place Fresh receives, grades, processes, packs, and stores produce under VBS-certified quality assurance protocols that maintain organic integrity.
• With Quality Assurance: Quality Solutions implements HACCP systems, traceability, and audit processes to ensure every product meets global standards.
• Through Customs: Customs and Inland Revenue processes export clearances, ensuring all documentation complies with international trade regulations.
• To International Markets: WBT manages commercial operations and logistics, delivering Vanuatu's certified organic produce to shelves in Australia and beyond.
• With Brand Support: The Tourism Department aligns the national export brand with destination marketing, promoting Vanuatu as a premium organic producer.

What This Means for Vanuatu

Quality Assurance: The packhouse operates under strict biosecurity and quality standards, ensuring taro and other crops meet premium market requirements. The facility features Dincel structural walling technology, providing a cyclone-resistant, fire-resistant, and earthquake-resistant system.

Increased Farmer Income: By reducing post-harvest losses and eliminating middlemen, more value stays in the pockets of local farming communities. The integrated export pathway brings together all partners under a single coordinated framework.

Export Confidence: This facility strengthens Vanuatu's reputation as a reliable supplier of high-quality organic produce to the world. CEO of VBS, Atanas Pipite, confirmed that "this is not a one-off shipment. It is the establishment of a long-term export mechanism designed to maintain quality, increase farmer income, and build confidence in international markets."

Health and Wellbeing: As CEO Pipite always reminds us, "Our standards exist to protect you. When you see the VBS certification mark, you know that product has followed the SOP – the main route that keeps quality from farm to your table. It's organic, it's pure, and it's best for your wellbeing and your family."

National Export Brand and Fresh Market Standards Catalogue Launched

During the ceremony, the Government also launched the VANU – Taste of Vanuatu national export brand, which will serve as the national identity for certified agricultural and value-added products entering overseas markets.

To support this new export pathway, VBS has published the Fresh Market Standards Catalogue – a comprehensive guide for farmers, exporters, and international buyers. The catalogue provides detailed product specifications, lot codes, packaging standards, and storage requirements for all certified produce leaving the Santo National Packhouse.

Whether you are a farmer preparing your produce for export, an importer looking for high-quality organic products, or a buyer wanting to understand Vanuatu's quality standards, the catalogue is your essential reference document.

The catalogue includes certified product listings for:

• Fresh Taro – White flesh, firm texture (Lot: 160426-1 | 15 kg)
• Fresh Yam – Purple or white flesh (Lot: 160426-2 | 15 kg)
• Fresh Kumala (Sweet Potato) – Orange, yellow, or purple flesh (Lot: 160426-3 | 15 kg)
• Fresh Ginger – Young ginger, mild and juicy (Lot: 160426-4 | 5 kg)
• Dried Coconut – Desiccated, no sulfites (Lot: 160426-5 | 10 kg)

Each product listing in the catalogue provides full traceability including packer details, exporter information, importer contacts, lot codes, net weight, and optimal storage conditions.

Future Expansion

Future exports expected to move through the Santo National Packhouse include cassava, yams, fresh ginger, green coconuts, coconut products, and value-added kava products. Starting in July 2026, VBS will begin construction of additional packhouses in Pentecost, Malekula, and Tanna with a budget of VT300 million.

The Santo National Packhouse serves as the national model for future packhouse developments across Vanuatu as the Government works to expand agricultural exports and economic opportunities ahead of the country's 50th anniversary of Independence in 2030.

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VBS – Setting the Standard for Quality from Farm to Table.

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Ministry of Trade and Commerce, Vanuatu | Vanuatu Government

+678 25978 | vbs.gov.vu