Kava exporters will have to ‘up their game’ to overcome challenges in the export market as competition thrives with the latest revelation that the United States of America now plants its own kava.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said he has not discussed this issue with American Embassy officials on the concern that USA’s new move may have an impact on Fiji’s export.
“It is bound to have an impact if Fiji does not move from the subsistence growing, preparation, marketing/promotion and reliance on the Fijian and Fijian Diaspora customers,” he said.
“If Fiji and Pacific Islands kava producers want to retain or increase their customers, they must explore more down-stream processing to extend the market beyond ‘custom’ consumers or Pacific Islanders.
“Non-chemical therapeutics is certainly an area of promise.”
Mr Rabuka said gone are the days of ‘Market Protections’ and ‘Preferential Trading and Pricing’.
“The World Trade Organisation rules now apply, so kava producers will just have to up their game.”
