Kava shortage drives high prices and theft
June 22, 2026 11:18 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook
By Hilaire Bule.
A kava bar owner in the Simbolo area of Port Vila lodged a complaint with police yesterday after a recent daylight theft, amid rising concern over increasing kava prices and shortages in the capital.
The owner told Daily Post that a thief entered his yard at around 11am last Thursday and stole 5kg of kava prepared for grinding later in the day.
He said the kava had already been cleaned and set aside for the usual afternoon preparation using a grinder machine.
The missing kava was only discovered at around 3pm when staff prepared to process it.
The owner said it was not the first time his yard had been broken into, but it was the first incident involving theft of kava. Following repeated break-ins, CCTV cameras were installed at his home, capturing an image of a man believed to be a suspect.
Another kava bar owner said theft can be expected due to the shortage and high price of kava in Port Vila.
He said kava remains central to daily livelihoods for many families in the capital.
“The price of green kava is now VT1,500 in Port Vila. It is not possible for families to sell just 3kg to buy bread and butter the next day. The high price will encourage stealing,” he said.
He called on the government to address the shortage through implementation of its policy targeting 10 million kava plants by 2030 and to support mechanised planting.
The shortage has been driven by low supply from the islands and adverse weather conditions.
About 20 bags of kava arrived in Port Vila yesterday but were sold out in less than an hour, with insufficient supply for kava bar owners purchasing small quantities.
A kava bar owner in Beverly Hills, Sylverio Molkis, said due to bad weather he has been paying VT1,500 per kilogram at Anamburu Kava Market and is now selling 1.5 litres for VT2,000.
He said a vessel is expected to arrive in Port Vila on Friday carrying kava from Santo, but it will not be enough to meet demand from kava bars.
He added that most commercial vessels remain in Port Vila due to rough weather, and shortages are expected to continue into next week if conditions do not improve.
Molkis said he previously sold 1.5 litres for VT1,500 but was forced to increase prices due to rising supply costs.
At Bladiniere, Wanareng Kava Bar, which previously sold 1.5 litres for VT600, confirmed it has increased its price to VT700 due to shortages and higher purchase prices from the islands.
The shortage on the islands has been driven by limited kava plant supply from farmers and increased demand for dried kava for export.
The price of dried kava on the islands has risen to VT4,600 per kilogram. A farmer from Pentecost said more growers are now focusing on drying kava for export unless local buyers in Port Vila pay around VT1,000 per kilogram. Green kava for local consumption is currently selling between VT500 and VT700 per kilogram.
The Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazards Department said a warning will be lifted today but another warning is expected on Friday as a high-pressure system from Australia approaches the country.
Sea conditions are currently at 16 to 20 knots and are expected to increase to 21 to 25 knots from Friday.
The department said warnings are issued when sea conditions reach 21 to 25 knots, requiring ships to seek safe anchorage.
With all vessels currently anchored in Port Vila, delays in transporting kava from outer islands are expected to continue until conditions improve.
