Apia, SAMOA — The Samoan Ministry of Agriculture wants to free up government-owned land for commercial farming in a push to increase exports.

Newsline Samoa reported farmers are being restricted by a lack of land.

The ministry's chief executive, Tilafono David Hunter, said government land could be leased to farmers eager to expand their output.

He said the success of the rebooted banana export market shows there is weight in the ministry's drive expand farming.