Kava’s growing

Business

Kava’s growing concern

Australia considers import ban

By Martin Tiffany

A decision on the import ban of kava entering Australia in com

mercial quantities was expected

to be made in February.

It is one which will be eagerly-awaited

by regional kava exporters, especially

Fiji, who are by far its leading exporters to Australia.

Australia slapped on the kava ban mid way through last year, pending an investi gation into its sale.

The current federal government review came about following an application by the Northern Territory government for kava to be sold legally in the Australian state.

Excessive concern has been expressed about the huge consumption of kava in some Aboriginal communities, which has resulted in social breakdowns similar to that cause by alcohol abuse.

The Australian government has reviewed the ban since its imposition last year. Currently Australian authorities have proposed a national Kava Management Strategy that requires Australian kava importers to be licensed. All imports will be on a restricted basis through Australian Customs.

There is also a requirement that all importers, wholesalers, retailers and dis tributors of kava must sign and abide by the Kava Code of Management.

This code includes provisions that sig natories agree not to promote the use of kava, advertise it or sell it to minors.

A new Standard in the Foods Standard Code will include the requirements for mandatory labelling of kava, with state ments such as: “Use in Moderation”;

“May Cause Drowsiness” and “Sale of Kava in Australia is subject to the national Kava Code of Management”.

Another requirement for packaging

directions is to state that kava can only be sold as a whole food and not added to other foods.

There will also be the option for the states/territories to have more restrictive legislation in place to address public health concerns in their particular jurisdic tions. There will also be a follow-up by state/territory health departments for edu cation and monitoring where kava abuse is a problem.

At present the only kava allowed into Australia is a 10-kilogramme limit per person for personal use.

Regional countries that export kava to Australia are Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu and Western Samoa. The total figure forkava exported to Australia last year was SFI.6

million (sUSl.lm.)

Fiji is by far the leading exporter of kava to Australia, exporting 74,556 kilo grammes totalling $F606,538 ($U5418,268) in 1994.

Australia is also Fiji’s second-largest kava market, after Germany, so Fiji is nat urally anxious for a decision to be reached soon.

Fiji sent a representative to a national work-shop in Darwin on August 3-4 last year, to form the basis of the government’s regulative response to the kava trade.

Two options came out of the workshop.

One was for a prohibition to be placed on all kava imports to Australia and that kava only be allowed in for use in cultural events.

The other option was for unrestricted

imports of kava to be allowed in, and for local and state authorities to be responsi ble for regulating ijs use.

The proposed National Kava Management Strategy suggests the second option is preferred, and people in the industry expect the import licensing option to be adopted.

Last year, the South Pacific Trade Commission in Sydney, in conjunction with the Forum Secretariat, made repre sentations to the Australian government to lift the kava ban.

The substance has been under scrutiny by various bodies in Australia for a num ber of years. With some not quite sure of how to treat it.

Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council previously dis couraged the use of kava because of its psychoactive properties and it was listed as an S 4 poison (to be available only on prescription) in 1990.

In 1993, kava was reclassified from a drug to a food product but listed as “not to be sold’.

Dr Andrew Theophanous, parliamen tary secretary to the Australian Prime Minister, said at the Darwin meeting last year that the federal government would consider outlawing kava, which was threatening to become a serious problem among indigenous communities.

Meanwhile, across the Tasman, unre stricted imports from regional countries into New Zealand have seen the export of kava steadily grow.

Pacific countries also have a lucrative kava export market in Europe, where it is used for pharmaceutical purposes. ■