Kava is an important agricultural commodity for a number of Pacific Island Countries (PICs), forming an integral part of cultural, economic and social life.

Kava is exported from the main growing countries, such as Vanuatu and Fiji, to other PICs, as well as to countries like New Zealand, New Caledonia and the United States (partly due to the large Pacific Island communities there). The bulk of this trade relates to consumption of kava as a beverage.

Yet kava has been banned in Australia for more than 20 years as it is considered a drug.

A local government in Queensland has made a submission to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to trial kava production in Australia. 

We cross over to Vanuatu to talk with Michael Louze the chairman of  the Vanuatu Kava Association, a body uniting all the stakeholders of the kava industry together from farmers, exporters, Government directors, agriculture, trade and biosecurity.