Taveuni farmers demand tougher yaqona theft laws

Taveuni farmers are pushing for tougher penalties and stronger intervention from authorities after repeated thefts from their yaqona plantations.

The theft continues to cost them thousands of dollar and threatens family livelihoods and confidence in one of Fiji’s most valuable agricultural crop.

Sarabjeet Singh, 54, of Nalovo, lost approximately $12,500 worth of green yaqona in a single night after thieves raided his farm.

Mr Singh said the stolen crop could have been worth as much as $28,000 once processed and dried.

The incident has reignited concerns among farmers across Taveuni, where yaqona theft has become an ongoing problem.

Farmers said penalties by courts were not acting as a deterrent because offenders often return to commit similar crimes after serving short prison sentences.

“When the police come to us, they say there are no stronger laws created by the Government to deal with these people,” Mr Singh said.

“If someone steals about 100 yaqona plants, they may only get six months imprisonment. They come back and do it again.”

He said tougher punishments were needed to discourage repeat offenders and better protect farmers who spend years cultivating their crops.

Another farmer, Petero Sanele, 56, of Waimaqera, said yaqona theft was no longer an isolated issue.

“The whole island is facing the same problem,” Mr Sanele said.

A farmer for more than 30 years, Mr Sanele believes one of the major drivers behind the thefts is the existence of a ready market for stolen green yaqona.

“The biggest problem is that there are people buying green yaqona,” he said.

Authorities should focus not only on apprehending thieves, but also on targeting those purchasing stolen produce.

Island Asset Solution’s Yavu Sentinel initiative recently proposed a digital supply chain tracking system aimed at recording crop ownership, GPS farm locations, harvest verification and product traceability.

The company said theft continues because stolen yaqona can easily enter an untraceable market.

However, stronger supply chain monitoring can help reduce losses while supporting future compliance requirements under the proposed Kava Bill.