FIJI’S GREEN KAVA INNOVATION
Maintaining kava quality is essential for sustained market access. This is one of the biggest challenges faced by processors and exporters like Lami Kava Ltd that are dependent on accessing raw materials from a large number of small growers working across wide ranging conditions and a large geographic area. The diversity of raw materials and variations in on-farm kava drying practices, can translate into significant variations in the quality of dried kava being available at the farm gate. In response to this challenge, Lami Kava explored an alternative business model that involves buying green kava from growers and moving the washing and drying process in-house. By changing its procurement practice from ‘farm-gate green’ to ‘factory dried’, Lami Kava established greater control over the quality of its raw material supply chain. Lami Kava approached PHAMA Plus to consider the technologies and investment required to move from a manual washing process to an automatic workflow. The result was an agreement to co-invest in a new green kava washing, cleaning and grading facility in 2021.
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