PHAMA Plus National Export Market Systems Facilitator (Fiji), Mr Navitalai Tuivuniwai, left and Mr Dharmendar Chand – Operations Manager South Pacific Elixirs Ltd (SPE), a Fijian based subsidiary company of Fiji Kava Ltd. after the partnership agreement signing in Suva.

Fiji Kava Ltd, an Australian-Fijian medicinal kava company producing natural ‘noble kava’ products, has partnered with the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus (PHAMA Plus) Program to strengthen export opportunities for Fijian kava to Australia and other international markets.

The Fijian-based subsidiary company of Fiji Kava, South Pacific Elixirs Ltd (SPE) will work with PHAMA Plus to strengthen kava standards and to ensure high-quality, sustainable commercial production and distribution of Fijian kava to global export markets. This includes the use of Fiji Kava’s tissue culture laboratory, a world first used to propagate disease free plants.

SPE and PHAMA Plus will partner on the design, procurement and installation of commercial kava nurseries in Fiji, with the initial establishment of two nurseries in Ovalau and Vanua Levu. The nurseries will be used for mass production of kava plantings which will be distributed to SPE’s network of contracted farming households.

A further component of the partnership will focus on sustainable agriculture practices and in standardising practices for the growth, harvesting and processing of kava. Initiatives will be developed to strengthen the supply
chain for SPE and its kava growers, including climate resilience and adaptation technologies, production planning, capacity building, technology transfer, harvesting schedules, quality certification and overall standardisation.

Australian High Commissioner to Fiji John Feakes said the Australian Government was pleased to support the sustainability of the Fijian kava industry and maintaining market access through PHAMA Plus.

“Kava holds much social and economic importance to Fiji’s agriculture sector. Australia is proud to support efforts by key export value chain actors such as SPE Ltd to develop a safe, sustainable supply of Fijian kava that meets
international market access and market entry requirements.” he said.

1/ #PHAMAPlus is pleased to partner with @fijikavaltd's South Pacific Elixirs (SPE) Ltd to strengthen export opportunities of high-quality #Fijian #kava to international markets.

Watch this @FBC_News segment on the partnership agreement signing in Suva, Fiji. 👇 pic.twitter.com/3LEm6DxoNQ

— PHAMA Plus (@PHAMA_Plus) July 8, 2020

PHAMA Plus National Export Market Systems Facilitator (Fiji), Mr Navitalai Tuivuniwai said: “Improving the quality of kava is a priority for PHAMA Plus and by partnering with an established leader in the Fijian kava industry, we are able to more effectively progress the significant export opportunities that exist across international markets for higher volumes of noble kava to benefit both exporters and local growers.”

Founder and CEO of Fiji Kava, Mr Zane Yoshida said: “It’s an honour to be chosen as the inaugural Fijian partner for the PHAMA Plus program in Fiji. We recognise the importance of this partnership to the Fijian kava community and the major opportunity which exists to export our high-quality, disease free kava supply around the world.

“Fiji Kava’s world-first tissue culture laboratory and its network of hundreds of local Fijian farmers ensures that our supply chain is uniquely positioned to support this marquee initiative between the two countries.”

ENDS