THE United States needs more kava and there is genuine fear among kava merchants there of a shortage in supply to meet forecasted future kava demand. This was highlighted after a recent Government-led scoping mission to the US where delegates met with US kava stakeholders, among them US government agencies, importers, distributors, Pacific island store owners, kava associations, kava bar owners and customers, and the Fijian diaspora.
“The market size and demand for kava is a lot larger than we realised, and comes with strict quality requirements that hasn’t previously been considered when it comes to kava products for exports,” said Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Waterways Tomasi Tunabuna, who led the scoping mission early this month.
“There is an urgent need to grow more kava to meet the current and forecasted market demand in the United States. The kava market in the United States is growing rapidly through kava bars, new kava drinkers and the kava extract market.”
The delegation met with kava stakeholders in the US, from both the Pacific diaspora and US kava bar owners.
These include the American kava growers who are pioneering the cultivation of kava in the US mainland and the Kava Coalition, an alliance of kava consumers, local experts and industry leaders in the fledgling US kava drinking market that are advocating for the advancement of kava education, advocacy and choice.
“Feedback from individuals in the kava sector in the United States is that there is a strong growing demand for kava and also a genuine fear that there will not be enough kava to meet the forecasted future demand for kava.
“Additionally, there is serious concern on the quality of kava exported to the United States from the Pacific, and if not addressed, the Pacific could lose their markets for kava exports.”
Mr Tunabuna said the ministry will need to focus on more kava research, develop large scale commercial farms, construct wash bays at major kava producing areas, improve crop husbandry practices, introduce new technology and work closely with local farmers to expand their farms.
“It is important to note that the Kava Bill, which is currently being reviewed, will set the standards for a safe, fair and balanced kava regulation.
“We set standards to ensure that kava is exported to meet the minimum import market requirements, and in this case meeting the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standard.”
Fiji Trade Commissioner to North America Alika Cooper said that western consumer kava market in the US was rapidly growing, led by the growing kava bar sector and the growing kava extract market.
“As more American consumers begin to discover kava, the market will continue to grow.
“The Kava Bill will ensure that Fiji sets a fair standard that meets import market requirements, and ensures that Fiji sets high standards for the Pacific with regards to good quality and food safe kava.
“The Trade Commission Office continues to work with key players in the Kava sector in promoting Fijian grown kava to the United States, and globally,” Mr Cooper said.
Latest data from the Fiji Bureau of Statistics put Fiji’s kava exports at a provisional earning of $47.8million, $38m and $40.7m in 2024, 2023 and 2022 respectively.
Fiji also imported $17.4m worth of kava in 2024, up from $13.8m in 2023 and $14.5m in 2022.
NOTE: This article was first published in the print edition of the Fiji Times dated FEBRUARY 18, 2025.
