Unnecessary and excessive grog consumption is having a greater impact on Fiji’s kava sector than the widely discussed kava dieback disease, says Minister for Agriculture Tomasi Tunabuna.
Mr Tunabuna said ministry assessments showed disease alone did not explain the sharp decline in kava production.
“I think the biggest worry now is, apart from the disease, is the high consumption, unnecessary consumption of kava,” he said.
“And second, there are fewer people growing kava.”
He said the combination of rising consumption and fewer growers was reducing overall supply more than losses linked to disease.
Mr Tunabuna said surveys conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture also pointed to poor farming and crop management practices as key contributors to declining productivity.
“There have been a lot of surveys done on kava dieback, but unfortunately, from the surveys that we have conducted, there are a few other reasons why the decrease in productivity has been caused.”
He said neglect of crops was common among growers.
“A lot of people plant yaqona, they don’t look after the yaqona, so productivity is very much affected by this.”
Mr Tunabuna also highlighted changing consumption habits and wastage.
“There is quite a big shift in how people drink kava, a lot of wastage, a lot of poor planning of different harvesting regimes, which has been the cause of the decrease.”
While acknowledging the impact of disease, he said it accounted for only part of the problem.
“Kava dieback will be just part of the solution,” he said, adding that wider production and consumption issues must be addressed to stabilise the sector.
The comments come as the ministry reviews strategies aimed at reducing losses and restoring sustainable kava production nationwide.
