PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 2:14 PM by Luigi

Vanuatu kava still in business in Fiji

Fiji Times, May 28, 2005

VANUATU kava will not be banned from Fiji, says Fiji Kava Council president Ratu Josateki Nawalowalo.

He said that Germany's lifting of a kava ban was subject to certain conditions.
"We have been given time from now until June 2007 to carry out tests to prove the positive effects of kava on health users and present the results to Germany."

He said they were working with the International Kava Council to fulfil the conditions.
In a letter to The Fiji Times, Dave Aidney, the German Consul to Fiji explained that Germany had not lifted the kava ban but changed it to an interruption of licence.

"It means that kava can still not be sold as a medicine in Germany but if the argument is convincing and conclusive, the licence could be reinstated," he said.

Ratu Josateki said Fiji had a traditional arrangement with Vanuatu to buy kava from them, which would not be broken.

"We can't fulfil the demand of the local market, so we buy from other islands.

"We've told producers to improve their quality and increase production.

"We buy 100 tonnes of kava a month for $6million. If we take away that huge portion, producers will have to improve and fill the gap," he said.

In reply to parliamentarian Poseci Bune's description of the effects of Vanuatu kava Ratu Joe said, "we've advised the producers to improve on the quality of kava exported to Fiji. We want to be sure that we're buying kava that is suitable for drinking and not harmful."

He said kava bought from Vanuatu would go through proper quarantine examination before being released to the market.



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DIVA-GIS	Monday, May 30, 2005 Posted 2:14 PM by Luigi Vanuatu kava still in business in Fiji Fiji Times, May 28, 2005 VANUATU kava will not be banned from Fiji, says Fiji Kava Council president Ratu Josateki Nawalowalo. He said that Germany's lifting of a kava ban was subject to certain conditions. "We have been given time from now until June 2007 to carry out tests to prove the positive effects of kava on health users and present the results to Germany." He said they were working with the International Kava Council to fulfil the conditions. In a letter to The Fiji Times, Dave Aidney, the German Consul to Fiji explained that Germany had not lifted the kava ban but changed it to an interruption of licence. "It means that kava can still not be sold as a medicine in Germany but if the argument is convincing and conclusive, the licence could be reinstated," he said. Ratu Josateki said Fiji had a traditional arrangement with Vanuatu to buy kava from them, which would not be broken. "We can't fulfil the demand of the local market, so we buy from other islands. "We've told producers to improve their quality and increase production. "We buy 100 tonnes of kava a month for $6million. If we take away that huge portion, producers will have to improve and fill the gap," he said. In reply to parliamentarian Poseci Bune's description of the effects of Vanuatu kava Ratu Joe said, "we've advised the producers to improve on the quality of kava exported to Fiji. We want to be sure that we're buying kava that is suitable for drinking and not harmful." He said kava bought from Vanuatu would go through proper quarantine examination before being released to the market. * Comments: Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. 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