Mabé pearl culture is an increasingly important rural livelihood in south Pacific countries as it offers a low-cost, low-tech alternative to round pearl culture. Mabé pearl production can be achieved by local people with appropriate training, and the products offer further livelihood opportunities through value-adding and local production of jewellery and handicraft items. The Kingdom of Tonga is unique among south Pacific pearl producing countries in focusing primarily on mabé pearl, not round pearl, culture using the winged pearl oyster, Pteria penguin. The Tongan mabé pearl sector has developed rapidly over recent years and is sustained by routine hatchery production of spat and recently improved pearl culture methods. This study determined establishment and operational costs of a subsistence-level mabé pearl farm in Tonga and developed an economic model to assess potential profitability of such operations. The representative mabé pearl farm modelled in this study targeted annual mabé pearl production from 100 oysters. Estimated capital cost (US dollars; USD) was USD 2,027 and major production costs were labour (29%), marketing (24%), and capital purchase and replacement (16%). Annual production of 231 saleable mabé pearls generated a net present value (NPV) of USD 107,101. The modified internal rate of return (MIRR) and benefit-cost ratio of the modelled mabé pearl farm were 20.46% and 4.86, respectively, with a payback period of 4 years. Given the average annual income in Tonga is USD 4,020, the modelled mabé pearl farm offers significant economic opportunity (USD 9,338 annual profit after all costs, including owner/operator wages) and supports additional socio-economic benefits for rural communities involved in downstream activities relating to handicraft and jewellery production, and tourism. The findings of this study assist stakeholder understanding of costs, risks and production levels required for profitable mabé pearl production.

玛贝珍珠文化已成为南太平洋国家日益重要的农村生计，因为它提供了低成本，低技术含量的圆形珍珠文化替代品。马伯珍珠的生产可以由当地人在适当的培训下完成，并且产品通过增值以及在当地生产珠宝和手工艺品来提供更多的谋生机会。汤加王国在南太平洋珍珠生产国中是独特的，主要关注马贝珍珠而不是圆形珍珠，以及使用有翼珍珠贝牡蛎Pteria企鹅的养殖。汤加马贝珍珠产业近年来发展迅速，并通过常规的孵化场孵化鱼卵和最近改进的珍珠养殖方法得以维持。这项研究确定了汤加一个生活水平的马贝珍珠养殖场的建立和运营成本，并开发了一种经济模型来评估此类运营的潜在盈利能力。在这项研究中建模的代表性马贝珍珠养殖场的目标是每年从100只牡蛎生产马贝珍珠。估计的资本成本（美元； USD）为2,027美元，主要生产成本为人工（29％），营销（24％）以及资本购买和重置（16％）。每年生产231颗可销售的马贝珍珠，其净现值（NPV）为107,101美元。模拟的玛伯珍珠养殖场的修正内部收益率（MIRR）和效益成本比为20.46％和4.86，投资回收期分别为4年。鉴于汤加的年平均收入为4,020美元，这个模型化的马贝珍珠养殖场提供了巨大的经济机会（扣除所有成本后的年利润9,338美元，包括所有者/经营者的工资），并为参与下游活动的农村社区提供了额外的社会经济效益。从事手工业和珠宝生产以及旅游业。这项研究的结果有助于利益相关者了解利润丰厚的玛贝珍珠生产所需的成本，风险和生产水平。（包括所有者/经营者的工资），并为参与与手工业和珠宝生产以及旅游业有关的下游活动的农村社区提供更多的社会经济利益。这项研究的结果有助于利益相关者了解利润丰厚的玛贝珍珠生产所需的成本，风险和生产水平。（包括所有者/经营者的工资），并为参与与手工业和珠宝生产以及旅游业有关的下游活动的农村社区提供更多的社会经济利益。这项研究的结果有助于利益相关者了解利润丰厚的玛贝珍珠生产所需的成本，风险和生产水平。