A kava manufacturing company that opened last year is preparing to export its product.

MyKava, a Kadavu-based family business, is eyeing New Zealand, Australia and America, as its key markets when it kicks off exports next month.

Spokesman Epeli Kama said a few Pacific regional members were also being considered for the expansion of the company’s kava export markets.

MyKava operates under parent company, Volta Investments Pte Limited.

“Our kava is sourced from our family farms,” Mr Kama said.

“We received requests from a few farmers around Viti Levu who wanted us to buy kava from their farms.

“The strict quality monitoring for potent consistency means the company opts only to process and supply kava from our farms and district.

“The kava chemical properties that are sourced from an area are more of the same, thus the consistency is potent.”

MyKava has adopted the farm-to-customer concept, in a bid to help farmers get the true returns of their produce.

“I appeal to the overseas and local customers to support this type of business concept,” Mr Kama said.

Two Key Areas
Two key areas warrant serious attention in order to improve returns to kava farmers, he said.

Middlemen are often referred to in kava farming villages as people who drive twin cabs, while the farmers walk to the farm, Mr Kama said.

The reality is that middlemen dictate the buying price, leaving farmers with no option but to sell at the demand price, he said.

“Middlemen dictate the annual gross of a farmer,” Mr Kama said.

“If you look at the dalo farmers, farmers dictate the dalo price.”

The same cannot be said for kava, which causes an imbalance, he said.

Mr Kama said a fair trade concept should be put in place to address the imbalance and anomalies in the kava sector.

“Such a concept would ensure farmers meet the quality standard of the kava products,” he said.

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