Vanuatu kava

The Daily Post Newspaper said under the special programme allows for Vanuatu kava to be exported to Australia for the next two years.     

Moses Amos said over the Christmas and New Year period, kava exporters drastically reduced their buying price for dried kava chips, in the worst case by almost 90 percent.

Mr Amos said farmers were told the reductions were due to a glut in the market.

However, he suspected they were being exploited by exporters who knew farmers desperately needed cash over the holidays, and when preparing to send their children to school.

"The normal price is being paid between $VT3000 ($US26) to $VT4000 per kilo of dried kava, kava chips.

The comment from Peter Colmar comes amid hopes of some kava producers that restrictions on export of tudei might be eased.

An industry meeting this month resolved that there would be a review of all scientific literature on tudei kava, but that Vanuatu's policy of promoting only so-called "noble" variety would continue.

Mr Colmar said there was no vigorous evidence that tudei was bad for consumers' health, as some scientists claimed.

He said the majority of kava farmers in Vanuatu were planting tudei.

Roy Micky Joy says the government should send a diplomatic note through the Vanuatu High Commission in Canberra to make this happen.

Poland is warning travellers not to bring the mild sedative into the country as kava is classified alongside hard drugs like cocaine.

This is despite Poland being part of the European Union which has recently resumed importing kava.

Mr Joy said he questioned why 26 members of the European Parliament stay silent on the issue of kava while one member, Poland, bans the drink from its shores.

 Last month farmers in Vanuatu were assisted with kava seedlings and nurseries as part of a project to boost kava production in Vanuatu.

About 200 additional kava plants of the 'Palarasul' noble variety from Santo were introduced into a banana collection of more than 5 local varieties.

A partnership between DARD and Malapoa College is also helping students to learn intercropping techniques.

Year 13 students of Malapo College joined DARD last Friday to learn the model of intercropping and its value in economic terms.

The noble variety has a relaxing effect without causing a hangover and is more desirable overseas than some other varieties.

John Fordham, the founder of kava export company Forney Enterprises, said more than 100 kava bars have opened in the US in the last decade and the market is growing fast.

Mr Fordham said there are many online purchasers as well.

"The problem now of course is supply of noble variety. Can we supply the market with noble varieties? The supply of kava certainly has reduced."

Furthermore, kava production is struggling to cope with increased demand around Vanuatu's islands.

RNZI reports more farmers in outer islands are selling directly to local bars rather than shipping to Port Vila on Efate where there is no kava production.

“Before trade begins, we wants the Ministry of Trade, and Agriculture to establish a system in place to control, regulate and administer only the best quality kava for the export market,” stressed Vanuatu’s Ambassador to the European Union, Roy Mickey Joy.

Joy who has been taking up the kava ban issue to the EU and ACP for the past 5 years talked about the importance of safeguarding the market after European laboratories scientifically proved that kava is not associated with liver toxicity and health issues.