Labour demand for seasonal workers impacting kava production in Vanuatu: Seremaiah

November 28, 2024 9:25 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

By Bruce Tamata.

Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs, Matai Seremaiah, said the labour mobility programmes have greatly impacted kava production, as a large number of Ni-Vanuatu labourers are recruited for seasonal work in neighbouring countries.

The former Member of Parliament (MP) for Luganville Constituency made this statement during the first panel discussions of the kava festival in Luganville, Santo, following the official opening ceremony yesterday, when he was asked to outline the role of the Vanuatu government at the policy-making level to stimulate kava production in Vanuatu.

Mr. Seremaiah said that in 2019, when he was Minister of Agriculture, he had formulated a policy that prohibited foreign investors from engaging in kava production to reserve it for locals only.

These policies were implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture as the regulator and controller of kava production, as local farmers had expressed concerns about foreigners venturing into the industry. However, policy changes were made under the condition that the government might reconsider its position if locals could not meet the increasing demand from foreign markets.

A key stakeholder from exporters said there has been growing demand, but a low supply from farmers.

“Currently, Forney has never seen higher kava demand than this year, 2024. Here in Forney, we turn down new customers and new markets every day because there is no reliable supply from local farmers,” said Joshua Fordham, who represents Forney Enterprises.

Concerns from kava exporters continue to grow, despite the recent promising agricultural census, as there are fears of a shortage in kava production by local farmers due to the labour mobility programmes, as noted by Mr. Seremaiah.

“I believe these panel discussions should shed light on views that need intervention from the government,” he said.

“People, as farmers, need to know that there is a market so they can plant. But for planting to continue, we also need labour. If we continue to export labour overseas, it will bring another great challenge for kava production by local farmers.”

The discussions aim to inform farmers about whether kava production should continue to be regulated solely for locals or if the government should reconsider allowing foreign kava producers, as local farmers may not be able to meet export demand due to the labour mobility programmes.

Throughout the event, there will be further panel discussions on kava, exploring various perspectives of the plant as an industrialised crop in Vanuatu, with input from producers, exporters, and other key stakeholders.