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Kava dealers happy with announcement

KAVA dealers have welcomed the news that travellers to Australia will soon be able to take an extra 2kg kava for personal use.

“This is welcome news for kava dealers like us,” said Daven, director of Moala Kava in Laucala Bay, Suva.

He added he had many relatives and customers in Australia who would be pleased with the news.

Australia has announced it will double the amount of kava that can be imported for personal use from 2kg to 4kg by the end of this year as part of a threeyear pilot program.

Kava can also be commercially exported to Australia by the end of next year under the pilot program.

Mr Daven, who used to export kava to Australia before it was banned, said he hoped the date for commercial exportation could be brought forward.

Maika Takavesi from Cakova Village on Moala Island – who has been supplying yaqona to Moala Kava for more than 15 years — said the news was good for farmers such as him who could now plant more to meet the anticipated increase in demand. Yaqona farming is Mr Takavesi's main source of income and he has more than 2000 yaqona plants on his farm.

Smaller kava dealers based at the Suva Municipal Market have also expressed optimism over the news.

Rakesh Satya Nand, director of Rakesh Kava, said the decision to increase kava export for personal use from 2kg to 4kg was good for sellers such as him who sold vacuum packed and labelled kava for customers who wished to take it overseas.

The quality of kava being sold is also important, according to Shalendra Deo, director of Shalen’s Kava & Spices based at the Suva Municipal Market.

Mr Deo said customers looked for high quality when buying kava and would return to vendors who provided this.

According to the press release from the Office of the Australian Prime Minister, the kava pilot program will be evaluated when it concludes at the end of 2022.