A consultation program was organized for Yaqona farmers, exporters and the processors in Suva, Lautoka and Labasa by the Agriculture Ministry last week.

Agriculture Officer Pauliasi Tuilau says the main objective of the consultation was to involve the stakeholders to be informed of the recent development with emphasis on the Yaqona bill, the National Yaqona standard and the Yaqona quality manual.

He says these documents are designed to develop and improve industry organization.

Tuilau says that there is also a regional effort for the improvement of Yaqona as an export product and its access to the international market.

Therefore, all kava producing countries in the Pacific are required to develop their national policies.

He adds one of the developments taking place is the National Kava legislation but at the moment Vanuatu is the only country in the Pacific that has the kava legislation with Fiji being the second.

Consultations continue this week in Kadavu.