Page 16 - IB FEB 2017

Trade

EXCLUSIVE Suspect exports under scrutiny as Fiji prepares to stop two-day kava

Kava
Kava

ban
ban

Vincent Billy of Vanuatu inspects
noble Fiji kava sold at the Suva
Market.
Pounded noble Fiji kava that some
dealers are accused of mixing with
two-day kava from Vanuatu.
Photos: Ilaitia Turagabeci
Mickey Joy, in Brussels. imports but we will give exporters time to
Germany lifted the ban on June 11, make the transition to the changes that
2014, the court ruling that based on will be required under the legislation.”
By Ilaitia Turagabeci available data, the benefit-risk ratio of The Ministry of Agriculture, in con-
kava medicinal products was confirmed junction with the Pacific Horticultural
FIJI will soon ban the importation of as positive. and Agricultural Market Access Program
the suspect two-day kava variety from According to the Vanuatu Post, in an (PHAMA), will launch a Fiji yaqona
Vanuatu to safeguard the quality of its email to Ambassador Joy, Dr Schmidt quality manual and Fiji yaqona standard
kava exports to the global market and the wrote, “Today on Tuesday, January 10, I this month as a guide detailing the 13
health of its kava-drinking population. received a complaint from the US. They species of kava in Fiji and the new stan-
It is part of the Ministry of Agricul- are being drowned in two-day kava ...” dards farmers and exporters will need to
ture’s plans as the country prepares to Studies have linked the two-day kava adhere to.
implement quality standards for its kava species to liver infection which led to the Dr Schmidt warned of dire consequenc-
industry and pass legislation to ensure kava ban in Europe. es of exporting two-day kava, saying “we
strict guidelines for all stakeholders. The Vanuatu Government has banned need to stop this before the next catastro-
The Kava Bill, which will be reviewed two-day kava for export because of the phe happens”.
by Parliament in its first sitting this unpleasant effects it creates and growers Authorities in Fiji say they are power-
month, comes just weeks after Pacific and exporters in Vanuatu have until the less to stop companies that buy two-day
kava exports to the United States came end of February to clean up their opera- kava from Vanuatu and mixing it with
under scrutiny. tions and end the sale or export of two-day local kava for domestic consumption and
The alleged discovery of tainted kava kava mixed with adulterated kava. exports. Veretawatini said once the Kava
from Vanuatu, from which some Fiji deal- The new Kava Export Standard comes Bill is passed, all stakeholders would have
ers buy two-day kava from and mix with into effect on March 1 and all kava export- to ensure quality products for the local and
their Fiji noble kava for export to the US, ers are expected to comply with it. export markets.
threatens the sustainability and faith of Fiji Yaqona Taskforce Committee sec- “The Bill covers all levels, from produc-
this growing global market. retary Vio Veretawatini said exporters tion to exports, and includes labelling.”
The issue was highlighted in January who were engaged in the practice in Fiji He said kava was a significant con-
when Sarami Plantation, one of biggest would be asked to cease when legislation tributor to Fiji’s economy and the proposed
exporters of kava there, was accused of is implemented. legislation would give stakeholders a
shipping tainted kava to the US via New “It gives Fiji kava a bad name,” he said. standard to work on.
Zealand. “We are aware that some operators Before the kava ban, Fiji was exporting
The concerns were raised by kava sci- use Vanuatu kava to add volume to their $25million worth of kava to Europe.
entist Dr Mathias Schmidt, whose work product. Veretawatini said they had worked hard
resulted in Germany lifting the kava Veretawatini said the suspect variety got the last 10 years to put together studies
ban after almost 12 years, and Vanuatu its name because its effects last two days. to convince Europe that Fiji kava was
Ambassador to the European Union, Roy “We will eventually ban two-day kava safe for human consumption and help

16 Islands Business, February 2017