Trade Ministry supports Ambae kava supply chain amid volcanic ashfall
September 2, 2026 11:13 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook
The Government, through the Ministry of Trade and Commerce (MOTC), is supporting efforts to maintain Ambae’s kava supply chain amid ashfall from Manaro Volcano, with the Department of Industry (DOI) providing polycarbonate roofing materials to a major green kava buyer on the island.
The DOI, under the MOTC, provided the materials to Dambulu Enterprise in response to an assessment by the PENAMA Provincial Emergency Operations Centre (PEOC).
Under the PEOC response arrangements, the MOTC leads the Business Continuity and Resilience Cluster. Damage to kava farms across Ambae has been identified as a major concern in the PEOC assessment.
Dambulu Enterprise has experienced difficulties drying kava because of reduced sunlight caused by ashfall from Manaro Volcano. Its existing drying facility uses transparent plastic tarpaulin, limiting its drying capacity under the current conditions.
The polycarbonate roofing will allow Dambulu Enterprise to improve its facility, increase drying space and maintain its purchasing capacity.
The support is intended to help the company continue purchasing green kava from farmers across Ambae before further ashfall affects the kava farms.
Dambulu Enterprise will process and dry the kava before supplying the dried product to buyers in Luganville and Port Vila.
Maintaining the supply chain is important for protecting farmer income and supporting business continuity during the emergency.
The MOTC, through its PENAMA Provincial Office, continues to monitor the situation and work closely with PEOC and relevant stakeholders.
Current priorities include maintaining market access for kava farmers, supporting business continuity, monitoring tourism facilities, and ensuring cooperative and producer supply chains remain operational during the Manaro Volcano emergency.
The DOI will continue to assess the needs of businesses and producers and coordinate appropriate support as the situation develops.
