Kava is an integral part of life in Fiji and there is increasing market demand for the produce.

This was the sentiment of Acting Minister for Agriculture Osea Naiqamu while launching the Fiji Kava Standard and the Fiji Kava Manual.

Naiqamu acknowledged the support of the governments of Australia and New Zealand, through the aid program Pacific Horticultural and Agriculture Market Access in the development of the two documents.

He says the documents will assist the ministry in promoting  Fijian kava as the world’s best and safest for consumption.

Naiqamu says this is an opportunity to protect and promote Fiji Kava as an authentic high quality Fijian product competing in the international market.

The kava manual is about improving quality and consistency of kava from the farm right to the market and the kava standard focuses on kava products used as food ingredients intended for consumption.

Fiji’s kava industry is valued at $66 million per year, benefitting over 21,000 kava farms. They export kava to the European Union, USA, NZ, and the South East Asian countries.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture established a kava taskforce in 2014 that looked after the Kava Council and the formulation of the Kava Bill 2016.