II. HARVESTING

A. Harvesting and yields

Harvesting and post-harvest handling account for 40% or more of the labour involved in kava production. Particular attention should be given to harvesting, handling, and drying the kava since these operations have a major effect on the quality of the kava and the price.

Kava is traditionally harvested at age three or four years, but for local ceremonies plants may be grown for over ten years before harvesting. When kava is grown as a commercial crop the decision as to when to harvest is more complicated.

· Some farmers want to obtain the maximum yield per hectare rather than the maximum yield per plant. They increase the number of plants per unit area, provide better soil fertility, and harvest some of the plants when they become too crowded. The remaining plants are allowed to grow for a few more years before harvesting. There are dangers in this approach, such as the risk of the development and spread of kava dieback or other diseases.

· In general, the kavalactone content of kava increases with age (kavalactones are the active compounds in kava). There are six kavalactones in kava that occur in various concentrations. However, some research indicates that kavalactone content depends more on the type of soil, the availability of nutrients for plant growth and the kava variety than on the age of the plant.

· It is not only the total kavalactone content that determines the quality of the kava but also the proportion of each of the six different kavalactones or the chemotype of the kava cultivar (see Kavalactones, page 33). Different varieties of kava have different chemotypes. As the kava export market develops it will be important to produce kava with a specific kavalactone.

· The kavalactone content is different in each part of the harvested plant. The kavalactone percentages of dry weight are 15­20% in the lateral roots, 8­12% in the stump, 5­8% in the basal stems, 2­5% in the stems and less than 1­2% in the leaves.

· The rootstock (stump) and roots become larger over time, although soil fertility, adequate rainfall and the kava variety are more important factors than plant age in determining yield. The green weight of individual rootstock varies from 5 to 50 kg. In the measurement of 1500 plants in Vanuatu, threeyearold plants yielded about 10 kg of fresh material; 70% was the rootstock and basal stems. The remaining 30% of the harvested plants was the roots. The harvested portion of the plant includes the lateral roots, the rootstock, and part of the basal stems.

A proud Fijian farmer with his harvested kava.

B. Harvesting techniques

The first step is to remove the upper part of the plant. Cut the stems above the first node. From the stems there will be adventitious roots extending directly into the soil. Take care to harvest these small roots without breaking them, since they are valuable.

The rootstock is the enlarged portion of the plant at the base of the stems. Depending on the variety the thickness of the rootstock can reach 30 cm (1 ft) to 60 cm (2 ft), and some creeping roots may measure over 2 m

(6° ft) in length. You will need to carefully dig around and under the rootstock and roots to harvest the plant. Care should be taken not to break the thin fragile roots. A digging fork with flat blades like the ones used for harvesting potatoes is ideal for harvesting kava since it normally doesn't cut or damage the thin roots.

Kava is often planted on ridges, or soil is mounded around the plant. It is easier to harvest plants in ridges or mounds.

Transporting kava to the market in Pohnpei FSM.

III. Postharvest handling and marketing

In general you must take care not to damage the kava plant before it is dried. Physical damage or bruising of the kava can cause rot that affects its quality.

A. Washing

After you have dug up the the rootstock and roots, wash them carefully in water to remove the soil particles. Access to sufficient water for washing the kava and moving the bulky freshly harvested kava to a water source can pose a problem. If the kava is washed in a tank a small quantity of soap should be added to the water for easier cleaning.

B. Cutting and sorting

After the kava is washed, it is ready to be cut up and divided into the various plant parts before drying. The basal stems (the first 20 cm (8 in) of the stems) are cut from the rootstock, peeled and cut into pieces. The roots are removed from the rootstock, which is then peeled, and the peeled rootstock is then cut into small pieces. Each part of the harvested kava is kept separately because kavalactone content and the price for each of the plant parts is different. For more details see pages 32-33. For this reason kava buyers for the local market or exports require that the kava be separated into basal stems, peeling of root stock, chips of root stock and roots.

C. Drying

Lay the rootstock and the roots out to dry in the sun after cutting them into small pieces. The pieces of stem, peelings, and chips should be thin slices to accelerate the drying process. The valuable thin long roots are not cut up before drying. Never dry kava on the ground but always on raised platforms to avoid mixing it with dirt, insects, grass or other foreign

Drying kava on raised metal roof sheets in Fiji Islands.

matter. Metal roofing sheets are often used as a drying platform to increase the temperature and keep the kava clean.

Drying in the sun gives a good quality product but may not be possible if there is frequent rain. If it starts to rain the kava will get wet and it may become discoloured or rot. In the rainy season, use a solar hot air drying method instead. Kava can also be left to dry more slowly in the shade.

Several drying technologies have been developed and tested in Vanuatu. Two are presented here: the clear and black plastic cover, and the vented roof design drying facility.

Analysis of the composition of kava rootstock indicates that fresh material on average is 80% water. In very humid climates, the recovery of dry kava from green kava is about 25%. Tests carried out on drying times and weight losses showed that a sample of cut-up fresh roots weighing 10 kg placed in the sun to dry for 10 hours followed by 14 hours in

.

the shade over 3 days weighed 2 kg at the end of the experiment.

The speed of drying depends on the water content of the fresh root, and the dryness of the air (relative humidity).

To avoid any risk of mould, the dry product should not contain more than 12% moisture. To test for moisture content, bend a dried root if it is sufficiently dry it will break but if it needs further drying it will not break. It seems that if the root breaks the moisture content is actually about 6% moisture.

After drying, the basal stems, rootstock peelings, rootstock chips and roots are packaged separately in 25 kg polypropolene woven bags (similar to flour sacks) which permit the pieces of kava to continue to dry.

Kava drying on screen racks in Vanuatu.

Vented roof design solar dryer

This is a permanent building for drying kava. It has a vented roof made of clear fibreglass and the sides are also vented. The design increases the air temperature while maintaining air flow to speed the drying of the kava. This building also protects the kava from wind and rain.

kava drying shed in Samoa with clear plastic roof and vents on sides.

D. Storage

Storing kava is similar to storage of other dried agriculture commodities.

Dried agricultural products are hygroscopic: they attract and absorb moisture from the air particularly in high humidity climates such as the Pacific. A dried product left in the open will continue to absorb moisture until there is no further movement of moisture in or out of the product, when the kava is said to have acheived equilibrium moisture content. Unfortunately, in the high humidity environment of the Pacific the equilibrium moisture content of kava allows the deterioration of the commodity, and development of fungus and a mouldy smell, which results in a low quality or useless product.

The storage of kava requires special attention to avoid loss in quality. Kava moisture content needs to be monitored during storage. Kava will need to be dried again if it is stored for a few months. Kava can be stored, but the following points should be considered.

• · After kava is dried it will start to very slowly absorb moisture from the high humidity air unless it is protected in a moisture-proof container.
• · Dried kava can be stored at any temperature below 50°C if it is kept in moisture-proof containers.
• · Well-ventilated storage areas are not suitable for extended storage of kava in a high humidity environment.
• · The moisture content of the kava must be monitored and tested by smell, looking for mould, and noticing if the roots bend rather than break.
• · Although kava can be redried if necessary, multiple drying will cause the quality to deteriorate.

Drying kava on black plastic in Tonga before pounding.

Kava storage in Suva Fiji at kava exporter Pharmakava.

E. Commercial parts of the kava plant

There are five commercial products from the kava plant: basal stems, chips of the rootstock, roots, peeling of the rootstock and residues. The kavalactone content of each part of the plant is quite different. (There may have been some confusion in the past between the peelings of the rootstock, which are high in kavalactones, and peelings of the basal stem, which are low in kavalactones.) The five commercial products and approximate kavalactone ranges are:

Basal Stems: stems more than 20 cm

(8 in) above the rootstock. Low in kavalactones (3­5%) and used only as planting material.

Chips of the rootstock: made from the peeled rhizome or rootstock or the first

20 cm (8 in) of the stems; 3­8% kavalactones. Used for drinking.

Peelings of the rootstock: peelings or skin of the rhizomes/rootstock and first 20 cm (8 in) of the stems. It has been preferred for export because of its high kavalactone content

(7­11%). Used for drinking and the pharmaceutical market.

Roots: very high kavalactone content (8­16%).

Residues: the mixed small pieces of the other commercial parts of the kava plant of variable kavalactone content. Used for drinking.

F. Kavalactones

Fifteen kavalactones have been isolated from kava. Each kavalactone has a different physiological effect.They are divided into the major kavalactones and minor kavalactones. The six major kavalactones account for 96% of the fat soluble extract from kava and are considered to be the most important active ingredience. They are: demethoxy-yangonin, dihydrokavain, yangonin, kavain, dihydromethysticin, and methysticin. Kavain, for example, is rapidly absorbed by the body and quickly creates a feeling of relaxation. Dihydromethstysticin and dihydrokavain are very potent and produce nausea and long-term drowsiness. These two kavalactones are found in high concentrations in the famous 'tudei' kava cultivar of Vanuatu, which is known to make the drinker feel drunk for two days. For more details of the different effects of each kavalactone read the research by Lebot (see biblography).

Although such kavalactones as kavain and methysticin can now be synthesised, these artificial kavalactones do not induce the same physiological effects as the natural extracts. The efficacy of kava evidently does not stem from a single active substance but rather from a mixture, a blending of several kavalactones that results in a synergistic physiological

effect.
Chemotypes:The kavalactones are numbered and used to define the kavalactone profile of kava cultivars. The kavalactone profile is referred to as the chemotype of that particular kava cultivar.

1 = demethoxy-yangonin

2 = dihydrokavain
3 = yangonin

4 = kavain

5 = dihydromethysticin
6 = methysticin

The chemotype of a kava cultivar is defined by listing, in decreasing order, the proportion of the six major kavalactones. Normally the first three kavalactones in the code for the chemoptype represent over 70% of the total kavalactone content. Consequently buyers and producers pay attention to the first three kavalactones of the chemotype. For example two popular chemotypes in Vanuatu are 246531 and 426135, both of which have dihydrokavain, kavain and meththysticin as the first three kavalactones.

The chemotype of a kava cultivar may not be important for the local drink market. However there is interest by the pharmaceutical industry in Europe to buy only kava with certain chemotypes. Hawaii, in the development of its kava industry, is increasingly cultivating the preferred chemotypes. In the future most kava producers and international

kava exporters will need to pay attention to the production of preferred chemotypes. Kava content and the chemotype can be determined by analysis in the laboratories of the Institute of Applied Sciences of the University of the South Pacific in Suva.

Fresh kava rootstock, when prepared by mastication, pounding or grinding, yields a greenish milky solution that is considerably stronger in kavalactone content and taste than the grey mixture obtained from dry roots. The main factor determining the psycho-active impact of kava is the degree of separation in water of the resinous active ingredients called kavalactones. The active substance in this resin, insoluble in water, becomes available to the drinker after emulsification. However, this emulsion is not stable and infused kava is therefore a suspension of lipid-like compounds rather than a real emulsion.

The resinous compounds are present in each cell as microscopic drops of kavalactones that are dispersed when the root tissues are pounded or ground, macerated and infused. When the beverage is ingested, thousands of these microscopic particles are absorbed rapidly through the stomach membrane to the bloodstream. If the emulsion is rich in active compounds, this will induce a rapid and pronounced psycho-active effect.

The resin becomes more fluid when temperature increases and if hot water is drunk after absorbing kava, the effects will be magnified. Kavalactones are soluble in alcohol and there is a synergistic effect when a drinker mixes the two beverages.

Kavalactones cause a greater biological effect when given in combination, possibly because constituents are more readily absorbed when consumed as part of a mixture. The pharmacological effect of kava is dose-dependent. Kava and its constituents have been shown to have sedative, hypnotic, anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant, anaesthetic, antimycotic, and anxiolytic properties. Clinical trials with standardised kava extracts have shown pharmacological activity comparable to benzodiazepines (e.g. Valium). Benzodiazepines are the most commonly used pharmaceuticals for anxiety. Kava products are used as a substitute and have fewer side effects and have not been shown to be addictive or to lead to dose tolerance.

Key points:

· The kavalactone is the chemical responsible for changing how you feel.

· 15 kavalactones have been identified.

· The mix of kavalactones in a kava variety is known as a chemotype.

· Each part of the kava plant has a differrent mix of kavalactones. Scientists are not sure but it seems that you need a mixture of differrent kavalactones to achieve a particular effect. Naturally produced kavalactones are still much stronger than the synthesised kavalactone.

· How you prepare the kava drink and what you drink after the kava changes the effects of kava on your body.

G. High quality kava

How to improve the quality through good harvest and postharvest practices

Age

Kava should be at least three years old when harvested for an acceptable yield and kavalactone content.

Cleaning

Wash kava in clean running water, or in a tank of water with a bit of household detergent if running water is not available. If you can still see dirt on the kava it is not clean enough.

Drying

Dry kava on a clean surface such as metal roof sheets.

Mildew and mould will grow on the kava if it is too damp. Although you may not see it, it could be present by the time the kava reaches your buyer. If the kava is brittle (snaps when bent) it is dry enough to prevent mould growth.

Remember that kava will attract moisture in the high humidity conditions of the Pacific.

Heat Damage

Do not dry your kava at temperatures too hot to touch (above 70°C). Kava that is overheated can become discoloured and it will have less value to the buyer.

Sorting

Buyers will pay on the basis of the class of kava, so the different classes should be kept separate. However the price also depends on the kavalactone content that buyer expects. The laboratory at the Institute of Applied Sciences at the University of the South Pacific campus in Suva, Fiji, offers quality kavalactone analysis at a reasonable price.

Foreign matter or kava residues

Do not try to add kava residues, pounded leaves or other adulteration to the kava. Most buyers have equipment to detect foreign matter or spent kava. It will be detected and your reputation as a reliable supplier of quality kava will be damaged.

Kava ceremony in Tonga.

Remember, you will have higher quality kava if it:

· is at least three years old;

· is clean and free of soil;

· is dry;

· is not heat-damaged;

· is free of mould and mildew;

· is separated into peelings, chips, and roots;

· contains no foreign matter or spent kava;

· has good appearance and aroma;

· is stored in clean bags under good conditions.

Appearance and aroma

The kava should appear clean and not discolored and have the characteristic aroma of kava without the smell of mould.

Storage

Do not store your kava near strong smelling substances such as petrol, spices, or kerosene that can affect the aroma of the kava. Store in new polypropylene bags in a clean, well-ventilated area and off the floor.

H. Quality specifications

The quality of an agricultural product is always an important issue. In the world of

Kava has been traded for many years both domestically and between islands of the Pacific without a quality specification. Instead the quality is based on the buyer examining the kava before purchasing it. The far-

The kavalactone analysis in a laboratory at the University of the South Pacific.

Background information on quality specifications

This is an explanation of each of the factors that are normally included in the quality standards of a commodity. They include: physical and chemical characteristics for kava.

Description

The offical description for a quality specification normally contains the botanical name and a brief description of the product. Thus adulteration means that the product does not conform to the specification and the purchaser may reject the consignment. It can be difficult to visually detect adulteration but there are tests that can detect when other vegetable matter has been added. Adulteration has been common in the food industry and a number of instances have been reported in which kava has been adulterated with 'spent' (used) kava and other matter.

Physical properties

A series of simple physical tests can give a quick, easy assessment of quality. For instance, because the appearance of kava is well known, discoloration, insect fragments, tobacco, stones and other vegetable matter can be easily detected. Kava aroma is also well known and common contaminants such as diesel, petrol or spices can be detected very quickly by simply smelling the kava. A lack of aroma may indicate staleness.

Flavour

This can be tested informally by simply preparing a solution and assessing it. A taste panel can score the flavour using a previously acceptable product for comparison. In so doing, very small differences can be assessed and the flavour profiles can be assessed objectively. Taste panels in which as many as 20 panellists assess flavour, appearance, and aroma can be used for dispute resolution.

Filth

Soil adhering to the product can be removed and measured. Soil contains a very large number of bacteria and unfairly adds to the weight of the kava. It is important to remove as much soil as possible from the kava to ensure that the bacterial level is as low as possible and to ensure that the purchaser does not in effect pay for soil.

Moisture

The keeping quality of vegetable matter depends to a large degree on the moisture content. Reducing the moisture content below 12% is essential. Above this figure the kava is likely to become mouldy. If the roots break when bent that is a good indication of low moisture content. There are also oven-drying techniques used in the laboratory to determine moisture content.

Chemical characteristics

Ash

Ash testing is one of the 'indicator tests'. It gives a guide to other characteristics such as age, cleanliness, moisture content and contamination with other plant material. The test is inexpensive and simple and is a means of verifying other tests.

Kavalactones

The most important the characteristic of kava for international buyers is the kavalactone content. Six kavalactones are tested for each part of the plant. Experience indicates that for the root and rootstock, the range of values obtained for each kavalactone is fairly narrow. Values falling outside these accepted values may indicate blending with other less valuable parts of the plant, blending with 'kosa' or previously used kava residues or contamination with other plant material. Furthermore, values outside these ranges would indicate that the kava is not of export quality.

Proposed kava quality specifications

These are the draft physical and chemical quality specifications based on research at the Institute of Applied Sciences of the University of the South Pacific.

Description

Kava will be the roots, rootstock, basal stems or scrapings derived from the plant Piper methysticum. It will be sound, clean and substantially free from filth, soil and other contaminants.

It will be prepared in accordance with good manufacturing practice and will not contain vegetable matter derived from other species, insect fragments, or any other extraneous matter. It will have the following physical and chemical properties.

Physical characteristics

Colour

Kava will have a characteristic light brown/grey colour.

Aroma

Kava will have the aroma characteristics of the product. The aroma will be free of extraneous aromas indicating contamination with other plant material, solvents or other volatile matter.

Flavour

In the event of dispute, kava samples will be subject to a taste panel assessment using the triangular taste test. There will be at least 20 panellists and results will be subjected to statistical analysis. Statistically significant samples will be treated as contaminated.

Filth

Using standard methods heavy filth will not exceed 0.63% on a dry weight basis. Heavy filth exceeding 0.63% but less than 0.7% will be considered to be second grade. Heavy filth exceeding 0.7% will be rewashed and redried.

Moisture

The moisture content will not exceed 12.54% when dried to constant weight at 105°C. Moisture content exceeding 12.54% but less than 12.88% will be considered to be second grade kava. Kava samples with a moisture content in excess of 12.88% will be redried.

Chemical Characteristics

Ash

The ash content will not exceed 5.36% when organic matter is removed at 440°C. Samples exceeding 5.36% but less than 5.93% will be considered to be second grade kava. Samples with an ash content in excess of 5.93% will be washed and redried.

Kavalactones

A quality specification for kavalactone content is still under development and it is very difficult to specify because of the great variations between kava varieties. The important point, especially if large consignments are involved, is the need for both buyer and seller to test the kavalactone content. Once the results are available prices can be accurately negotiated.

I. Advanced processing

For kava to be used in the pharmaceutical industry the kavalactones must be extracted so that they can be contained in capsules for easy use by patients. In the pharmaceutical industry the most commonly used method for extracting kavalactones is the solvent extraction method. Kavalactones are insoluble in water, so extraction is done with volatile solvents. Volatile solvents are used because they don't leave a residue in the kavalactone extract. The volatile solvents are recyclable by evaporation and distillation, but are flammable, and thus should be handled carefully. The extracted kavalactones are in the form of a dark thick viscose substance that is not easy to use directly. It is combined with an inert substance such as starch to create a powder with 30% kavalactone content that is then placed in capsules.

Steps in the solvent extraction process:

• 1 ­ Dry matter
• 2 ­ Crushing
• 3 ­ Reduction to fine powder
• 4 ­ Maceration, hot or cold in a solvent
• 5 ­ Filtration
• 6 ­ Elimination of solid residues
• 7 ­ Evaporation and recovery of solvent
• 8 ­ Extraction of a brown coloured resin
• 9 ­ Resin mixed with a base to create a 30% kavalactone powder

The kava residues from domestic consumption still contain significant levels of kavalactones. Processing offers the potential to extract the kavalactones from these residues, which are normally discarded. A suitable economical extraction method, perhaps using a combination of organic solvents, needs to be developed.

Another method of processing is spray drying. Spray drying is a well-established agro-industrial technique that produces water soluble powders such as milk powder that are easy to handle and store. This technology is well suited to kava because the powder dissolves in water and it is more rapidly absorbed

by the body in this form than in capsules. This technique is expensive however, and requires an investment of about US$500,000 for a small spray drying unit capable of processing about one tonne of fresh roots per day.

Steps in the spray drying process:

• 1 ­ Fresh root
• 2 ­ Crushing
• 3 ­ Filtration
• 4 ­ Fresh juice
• 5 ­ High pressure pump
• 6 ­ Spray drying
• 7 ­ Water-soluble powder obtained

Much of the attraction of kava is the ceremony attached to its preparation and social consumption in the Pacific. For the local market and export there is a need for a high quality, pre-dried, ground kava for those who want to consume kava in this manner.

Ready-to-drink extracted kava with other tropical flavours is now available. There are also kava candies and other novel products on the market. These products have not generated significant consumer demand, however.

There continues to be interest from the private sector in establishing kavalactone extraction facilities in the Pacific. One facility was established in Port Vila but it is no longer functioning. Another facility was established in Savusavu, Fiji Islands, but at a time of a decline in the market and demand was not sustained. Currently there are plans to relocate this plant elsewhere in the Pacific region. The key aspect in the establishment of viable processing facilities is that they must be connected directly to the company that will further process the kavalactone extract and produce the final product. Large pharmaceutical and natural products companies have substantial investments in their own processing facilities to use with a wide variety of raw material. They prefer to use their own processing facilities to control quality and in order to add value to the raw material themselves.

J. Marketing

There are several distinct markets for kava, but in all markets there is a demand for high quality kava.

Domestic drinking market

The local market is still the most important market for kava in terms of total size and cash value. At the village level there is still a substantial amount of production for household and village consumption. Middlemen often buy at the village or villagers bring their kava to sell at markets in the urban centres. There is an increasing demand for pounded kava sold in packets for local consumption in kava shops and in private homes.

This market is also less risky than the export market for the buying and selling of small quantities of kava. Producers know the buyers and the prices they will get.

Export market

Kava exporters have emerged to serve a number of markets. The exporters usually have their own buyers, who purchase the kava at the village from known producers of quality kava. Some large growers sell directly to the exporters. On occasion large growers form partnerships with overseas kava buyers and processors. The exporter make the growers aware that they must follow many of the princples outlined in this publication for production of high quality kava in order to receive a good price.

Drinking market: The main drinking markets are in the Pacific, such as Fiji Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Tonga. There is also kava drinking in Australia, New Zealand, the United States particularly in California, and Canada.

Pharmaceutical market: In Germany and France kava has been a prescription drug for many years, prescribed in capsule form for patients with psychological problems. As previously explained, the kavalactones are considered a natural replacement for other drugs such as Valium that relieve the symp

toms of stress. This market is very precise. Buyers seek kava with a specific chemotype and the pharmaceutical laboratories process the kava to make a capsule with an exact kavalactone content. There has been a consistent demand for high quality kava for this market.

Nutritional supplement market: In the United States many non-prescription herbal remedies are considered nutritional supplements by the Federal Drug Administration, and kava recently became popular in this market. Kava is packaged in capsules, as teabags, and added to other beverages. This market saw a dramatic growth particularly in 1998, but since then the demand has declined. Kava became a 'fad' in the herbal products market which meant that people tried it once. If a product in this market is poor quality, people quickly lose interest, and the market fades as quickly as it appeared. Some authorities believe that the lack of a standardised, high quality kava product for the consumer contributed to the decline in consumption in the US market.

Buyers

The export market demands high quality. The buyer is interested in finding the lowest price possible for a high quality kava. Buyers will discuss purchases with exporters in several countries before negotiating a quantity and price. They prefer to buy sorted kava rather than pounded kava so they can verify the quality immediately

Price is related to three factors:

Quality: High quality kava will have a higher price than low quality kava. For example, kava that is clean and free of soil, well dried, with a fresh kava aroma will fetch a higher price than kava that is dirty, only somewhat dry, and mouldy smelling.

Consistency: Buyers of kava prefer to establish more long-term business relationships with kava exporters. Not only do buyers want high quality, they also want to be

able to buy kava of consistently high quality. This is how a grower, middleman or exporter establishes a good reputation. Customers will keep coming back to purchase more kava. However, if the quality of your kava is not consistent then buyers will find suppliers who are more reliable.

Part of the plant: The roots and peelings are higher in kavalactones and demand a higher price than the chips and stems. International buyers often prefer the peelings, which they feel are better value and have the quality kavalactone they need.

Supply and demand: When there an is abundant supply available for the market, prices will be lower. Conversely, when supply is low the prices will rise. A good example of the effect of supply and demand on kava prices was seen during 1998. Buyers from the United States herbal market made substantial purchases in 1998 and prices moved to very high levels. However by the end of 1998, there was very little kava being purchased for the export market and prices declined substantially.

Marketing of fresh kava at "The Kava Store" in Port Vila, Vanuatu..