Local company Taro King, which specialises in selling roast pork, says it continues to rely on local farmers for their supply after delivering on a 72 roast pork contract for a church conference.

Taro King Acting Manager Tino Fonoti told the Samoa Observer in an interview on Monday that they continue to get their pork supply from local farmers and don’t go to commercial farmers unless they have a shortage.

He said this when confirming that they supplied the Methodist Church’s annual conference last week with 72 size-2 roasted pigs.

“There are commercial farmers that we ask for their help if we are in shortage or needed supplies,” said Mr Fonoti.

“But we put the community first as our priority because they are the ones who supported us in the beginning when we first started.

“At the moment we are doing fine, even though we have the COVID-19 pandemic and the crisis with the politicians, people are still coming in to sell, to buy and most of them are here to roast their piglets.”

The 72 size-2 roasted pigs for the church conference were done on two separate Sundays: Sunday 12 July and Sunday 18 July.

Mr Fonoti said they roasted 43 size-2 pigs on the first Sunday and 29 on the second Sunday for their to’onai, while indicating that most of their customers are church ministers and Cabinet Ministers.

“The majority of our customers are church ministers and cabinet ministers who know the good quality of our service,” he said.

“But we never put aside the public and community because it’s our contribution for their families’ development and growth.”

Mindful of the challenges that ordinary farmers are currently facing in the economic downturn, Mr Fonoti said they source their supplies from them because they know they also have their family obligations.

“We know our people are seeking help with money to pay their children's school fees, to pay their bills, to do and assist with the village, churches as well as family obligations so try to answer back and respond to their everyday needs. 

“But when it comes to special occasions and special holidays, that’s when we ask commercial farmers like Ah Liki for their help when the demand [from customers] is too high.”

Mr Fonoti then thanked their customers who continue to use their services as the home of the size-2 roast pork.

“I want to thank all our customers who use our service and believe that this is the home of size-2 which provides the delicious cooked pig as a favorite food for the majority of our people,” he said.

The Acting Manager said the company’s mission statement is to continue to source healthy size-2 pigs and offer affordable prices to everyone.