Ministry of Trade Permanent Secretary, Shaheen Ali, has called upon the European Union to assist Fiji in unlocking the full potential of its kava exports to the European market.

This assistance was sought during a workshop exploring the potential for further kava exports to the European Union market.

Ali says Fiji’s kava exports have witnessed a remarkable surge in recent years, and the EU market presents a significant opportunity for further growth.

“Enable our exporters to legally and commercially export Kava into EU Member States—that is something the commission can coordinate. I know competence lies with member states, but we think that with the commissions effort in that SPS/TBT concerns, whatever they are or standard concerns, we are able to clarify those and be able to sort of embark on those pathways that are needed.”

[Source: Ministry of Trade, Co-operatives, SMEs and Communications/ Facebook]

Ali believes EU support is crucial.

“We would like to position Fijian Kava as a premium, safe, and highly sought-after commodity in the European market, not just as a beverage part [from a traditional refreshing beverage] but also as other derivatives of Kava for health and wellness products.”

Ali stresses that their critical objective is to allow commercial exports of Kava into the European market.

However, they need to untangle and navigate through complex EU regulations.