'Vomit fruit' tonic deal sweet for Samoa

Michael Jones with a glass of the noni fruit tonic being sold to China. Photo / Sarah Ivey

It smells awful, and tastes ghastly. And it's certainly not pretty - in some places it is known as the "dog dumpling", or even the "vomit fruit".

But the humble noni, used as a medicine for hundreds of years by ancient Indians, could prove a boon for the Pacific Islands if a controversial Chinese businessman is able to deliver on his promises.

Jack Chen, the businessman behind the failed bid for the Crafar dairy farms, has struck a deal to import millions of litres of noni juice from Samoa to China in a venture being overseen by former All Black Michael Jones.

Jones' involvement is through Pure Pasifika, a New Zealand company that is part of the Reef Group, which is involved in shipping, commercial fishing and horticulture in the Pacific.

Until now, Samoa has mostly exported its noni juice to Japan, but in relatively small quantities.

The Natural Dairy contract requires it to supply 800,000 litres of the juice by January, increasing to three million litres next year, and five million litres in 2013. A trial shipment has already been sent to Natural Dairy's bottling plant in China.

According to Jones, 1000 Samoan families are already supplying fruit for the contract, and there are plans to develop a 200ha plantation.

"Up until now maximum production has been about 80,000 litres, so it's a very significant leap."

Noni, also known as the beach mulberry and Indian mulberry, has been hailed as a "miracle food" for decades. Although scientific studies have not yet verified the claims, Jones is confident Chinese consumers will lap up the juice, which is blended with other juices and sold as a "lifestyle drink".

An extra 40 jobs had already been created in Samoa, with the potential for dozens more, he said. More important, families were being paid twice what they used to get for their fruit.

"Obviously the Samoan Government has recognised how important this is for the local economy. They're 110 per cent behind what's happening."

Jones hopes the deal might eventually extend to the Cook Islands, Vanuatu and Tonga, and include other products such as coconut and kava root.

However, the plans have not come without controversy. Pure Pasifika also has a joint venture with Niue and Premier Toke Talagi last month played down as "speculation" rumours that his Government had agreed to allow up to 100 Chinese families to settle there as part of the deal.

Jones told the Herald he was also aware that Natural Dairy had a rocky history. The company has been suspended from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange for most of the past 18 months and is still being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office.

Jones' involvement with Chen has also prompted speculation the former rugby player is considering a political career with the New Citizens Party, which has links with Chen and which plans to stand candidates in this year's election. Jones confirmed he had been approached to stand, but said: "I'm not interested in politics full stop."