Groggy business

Dhirendra Prasad, Lautoka

It seems something groggy is going around our kava industry.

The price is ever increasing, but the quality of the waka sold is slumping and if not controlled we may be getting more soil than the actual waka.

I am talking about the powdered sales of waka.

The amount of additives with the actual waka powder leads to smelly smells, indescribable taste, soily looks, basically no effect and side effects.

It is now time for laws to be enforced on the availability of the contents of each packet of waka powder sold, just like any other consumable item sold in our shopping outlets.

The sellers pay the price of waka from farmers, add triple the amount of other parts of the plant and increase their profits.

No wonder the taste is no longer there. Is there any quality control unit in this industry? If not why? If yes, why is the current very low quality allowed to be in the market?

Since this has become a million dollar (assumption) business, I urge the authorities to introduce special taxation formulae so that the businessman in this business can contribute towards nation building in the form of business tax. They should be licensed with all the regulations and subscriptions displayed just as tobacco and liquor sellers.

Food for thought or otherwise different parts of the plant should be sold separately if sold in powder form.

By the way, nothing can be taken away from the farmers because the waka in its root form and hand pounded tastes of the real waka with immediate effects. Fiji Sun, can we conduct research on this?