Commencement: (not yet commenced)

REPUBLIC OF VANUATU

KAVA ACT

No. 7 of 2002

Arrangement of Sections

PART 1 - INTERPRETATION

1          Definitions

part 2 – protection of kava in vanuatu

2          Organic cultivation

3          Varieties of kava and kava products for sale on local market

4          Labeling for local market

5          Who can sell kava or kava products on the local market?

part 3 – protection of kava for export

6          Varieties of kava and kava products for export

7          Labeling for export

8          Who can export kava or kava products?

9          Additional export protections

part 4 - miscellaneous

10        Offence

11        Inspection powers etc

12        Regulations and orders

13        Commencement

Schedule

--------------------------------------------------------

republic of vanuatu

kava act

no. 7 of 2002

An Act to regulate the cultivation, sale and export of kava and kava products

Be it enacted by the President and Parliament as follows-

part 1 - interpretation

1        Definitions

In this Act unless the contrary intention appears:

kava means:

(a) plants of the species, Piper methysticum; or

(b) the traditional beverage obtained by cold water extraction of the plant’s underground organs.

kava products include dried kava, bark, peelings and makas of kava.

makas means the residues remaining after the cold water extraction of the kava plant’s underground organs to obtain the traditional beverage.

medicinal kava means a variety of kava listed in Table 2 of the Schedule and includes their synonyms on other islands.

Minister means the Minister responsible for agriculture.

nobles kava means a variety of kava listed in Table 1 of the Schedule and includes their synonyms on other islands.

organic means free of artificial fertilizers, pesticides and other residues.

person includes any statutory body, company or association of persons corporate or unincorporate.

two days kava means a variety of kava listed in Table 3 of the Schedule and includes their synonyms on other islands.

wichmannii kava means a variety of kava listed in Table 4 of the Schedule and includes their synonyms on other islands.

part 2 – protection of kava in vanuatu

2          Organic cultivation

A person is to cultivate kava in Vanuatu using only organic methods of cultivation.

3          Varieties of kava and kava products for sale on local market

(1)        A person must not sell kava, or offer kava for sale, in Vanuatu unless it is nobles kava or medicinal kava that:

(a) was planted at least 3 years before it was harvested; and

(b) was cultivated using organic methods of cultivation.

(2)        A person must not sell kava products, or offer kava products for sale, in Vanuatu unless they have been produced from nobles kava or medicinal kava that:

(a) was planted at least 3 years before it was harvested; and

(b) was cultivated using organic methods of cultivation.

(3)        To avoid doubt, a person must not sell or offer for sale in Vanuatu any of the following:

(a) wichmannii kava;

(b) two days kava;

(c) kava products produced from wichmannii kava or two days kava, whether or not in combination with any other variety of kava.

(4)        Nothing in this Act is to be taken to prevent a person from cultivating any variety of kava for personal use.

4          Labelling for local market

A person must not sell or offer for sale in Vanuatu any bag, container or other receptacle containing kava or kava products unless the name of the variety and the island of origin of the kava is clearly marked on it.

5          Who can sell kava or kava products on the local market?

A person must not sell or offer for sale in Vanuatu kava or kava products unless the person is:

(a) an indigenous ni-Vanuatu; or

(b) a local company within the meaning of the Companies Act [CAP 191] that has at least 51% of its shares (voting or otherwise) owned or controlled by persons who are indigenous ni-Vanuatu.

part 3 – protection of kava for export

6          Varieties of kava and kava products for export

(1) A person must not export kava from Vanuatu unless it is nobles kava that:

(a) was planted at least 5 years before it was harvested; and

(b) was cultivated using organic methods of cultivation.

(2) A person must not export kava products from Vanuatu unless they have been produced from nobles kava that:

(a) was planted at least 5 years before it was harvested; and

(b) was cultivated using organic methods of cultivation.

(3) Subject to subsection (4), a person must not export any of the following from Vanuatu:

(a) two days kava;

(b) medicinal kava;

(c) wichmannii kava;

(d) kava products produced from two days kava, medicinal kava or wichmannii kava, whether or not in combination with any other variety of kava.

(4) A person may export from Vanuatu:

(a) two days kava or medicinal kava; or

(b) kava products made from either of both of these varieties of kava;

only if the person has been requested to do so by a person outside Vanuatu and the proposed export complies with the requirements of the Plant Protection Act No. 14 of 1997 and any other relevant Act.

7          Labelling for export

A person must not export from Vanuatu any bag, container or other receptacle containing kava or kava products unless each of the following is clearly marked on it:

(a) the name of the variety of the kava;

(b) the island of origin of the kava;

(c) the distinct organs of the kava;

(d) the words “Original Vanuatu Kava”.

8          Who can export kava or kava products?

(1)        A person must not export kava or kava products from Vanuatu unless the person is:

(a) a citizen of Vanuatu; or

(b) a local company within the meaning of the Companies Act [CAP 191] that has at least 51% of its shares (voting or otherwise) owned or controlled by persons who are citizens of Vanuatu.

(2)        This section does not apply to an individual or company if immediately before the commencement of this section that individual or company was legally entitled under or by any Act or subordinate legislation to export from Vanuatu kava or kava products.

9          Additional export protections

A person must not export from Vanuatu or exchange with a person outside Vanuatu any of the following:

(a) stumps, shoots, growing buds, lateral branches and other planting materials of kava;

(b) fresh organs of kava (eg roots or stumps) that could be used for propagation;

(c) other propagating materials of kava.

PART 4 – MISCELLANEOUS

10        Offence

A person who contravenes a provision of this Act is guilty of an offence punishable on conviction by a fine not exceeding VT 500,000 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 3 months, or both.

11        Inspection powers etc

For the purposes of ensuring compliance with this Act, an officer appointed under section 9 of the Plant Protection Act No. 14 of 1997 may exercise any of the powers set out in section 14 of that Act in relation to kava or kava products (eg an officer can inspect a local farmer’s kava crop and test for pesticides).

12        Regulations and orders

(1)        The Minister may make regulations prescribing all matters:

(a)          required or permitted by this Act to be prescribed; or

(b)          necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act.

(2)        The Minister may by order amend the Schedule.

13        Commencement

This Act commences on the day on which it is published in the Gazette.

SCHEDULE

Section 1

Table 1

Nobles kava

Item	Variety	Origin
1	Melomelo	Ambae
2	Asiyai Biyaj	Aneityum
3	Palimet Miela Olitao	Emae
4	Kelai	Epi
5	Ge wiswisket Ge gusug	Gaua
6	Borogoru	Maewo
7	Silese	Malekula
8	Melmel Borogu Sese	Pentecost
9	Urukara Bir Sul Bir Kar Palarasul Palasa Poivota	Santo
10	Pia Ahouia Leay Amon	Tanna
11	Puariki Pualiu	Tongoa
12	Naga miwok Ge vemea	Vanua Lava

Table 2

Medicinal kava

Item	Variety	Origin
1	Mologugei	Ambae East
2	Ngwangaru	Ambae East
3	Bisuiboe	Ambae West
4	Mavute	Ambae West
5	Ketche	Aneityum
6	Mokom	Aneityum
7	Riki	Aneityum
8	Oleikaro	Emae
9	Pualapa	Emae
10	Ulutao	Emae
11	Bagavia 1	Epi
12	Bagavia 2	Epi
13	Meoler	Epi
14	Pakaewa	Epi
15	Purumbue	Epi
16	Tinbokai	Epi
17	Liki	Erromango
18	Pic	Erromango
19	Pore	Erromango
20	Bumalotu	Maewo North
21	Hawerara	Maewo North
22	Malokai	Maewo North
23	Raimelmelo	Maewo North
24	Resres	Maewo North
25	Maloglelab	Malekula North East
26	Maloglaslas	Malekula North East
27	Nemleu	Malekula North East
28	Tafandai		Malekula North West
29	Baan	Malekula North West
30	Daou	Malekula North West
31	Tapoka	Malo
32	Hig	Mere Lava
33	Lab	Mota Lava
34	Nagame	Mota Lava
35	Loa	Nguna
36	Malakesa	Nguna
37	Pilake	Nguna
38	Meihang	Paama
39	Teiha	Paama
40	Toh	Paama
41	Borogu tememe	Pentecost Central
42	Bukulit		Pentecost Central
43	Borogu temit	Pentecost Central
44	Borogoru maita	Pentecost North
45	Borogoru memea	Pentecost North
46	Vabugai	Pentecost North
47	Bugolita		Pentecost North
48	Gorogoro entepal	Pentecost South
49	Gorogoro entemet	Pentecost South
50	Kerakra	Pentecost South
51	Tamaevo	Pentecost South
52	Aigen	Tanna Central
53	Mita	Tanna Central
54	Saosao	Tanna Central
55	Tuan		Tanna Central
56	Kiskisnian		Tanna Central
57	Yalon	Tanna Central
58	Awor	Tanna Central
59	Malamala	Tanna Central
60	Paama	Tanna Central
61	Wapil	Tanna Central
62	Pusan	Tanna South East
63	Marangmarang	Tanna South East
64	Kokoffe	Tanna South East
65	Kowariki	Tanna South East
66	Malamala	Tanna South East
67	Paama	Tanna South East
68	Ewo	Tongoa
69	Metolei	Tongoa
70	Tau	Tongoa
71	Nimau	Tongoa
72	Bualap	Tongoariki
73	Buarik	Tongoariki
74	Milake	Tongoariki
75	Ngako	Ureparapara
76	Ngasien	Ureparapara
77	Nol	Ureparapara
78	Gemime	Vanua Lava
79	Ranranre	Vanua Lava

Table 3

Two days kava

Item	Variety		Origin
1	Gawoboe		Ambae East
2	Ronriki		Ambae East
3	Tarivoravora		Ambae East
4	Valeiboe		Ambae East
5	Qoro		Ambae East
6	Sulusulu		Ambae East
7	Ganono		Ambae East
8	Garaeto		Ambae East
9	Makaru		Ambae East
10	Mologomavute		Ambae East
11	Tarimavute		Ambae East
12	Taritamaewo		Ambae East
13	Memea		Ambae West
14	Mindo		Ambae West
15	Rogorogopula		Ambae West
16	Tolu		Ambae West
17	Tari		Ambae West
18	Tariporo		Ambae West
19	Laklak		Ambrym North
20	Apeg		Aneityum
21	Nisginekrai		Aneityum
22	Tchap		Aneityum
23	Nidinolai		Aneityum
24	Metche		Aneityum
25	Yag		Aneityum
26	Nakasara		Emae
27	Meawmelo		Epi
28	Lo		Epi
29	Mage		Epi
30	Kaviui		Epi
31	Mitiptip		Epi
32	Vila		Epi
33	Wari		Epi
34	Vip		Epi
35	Meawlake		Epi South
36	Meawmeia		Epi South
37	Avia		Erromango
38	Vila		Erromango
39	Gumaito		Maewo North
40	Daumangas		Maewo North
41	Rairairegi		Maewo North
42	Tariparaus		Maewo North
43	Tufagi		Maewo North
44	Tumpuinakapmato		Maewo North
45	Tarihani		Maewo North
46	Rongrongvula		Maewo South
47	Tarivarusi		Maewo South
48	Vabu		Maewo South
49	Mologubanano	Maewo South and Pentecost North
50	Mologubanga	Maewo South and Pentecost North
51	Malokrok	Malekula North East
52	Pade	Malekula North West
53	Malatuwas		Malekula North West
54	Nalimliune		Malekula North West
55	Poua		Malekula North West
56	Vasa		Malo
57	Roge		Malo
58	Namtemlao		Mota Lava
59	Nipunstaban		Mota Lava
60	Tarivarus		Mota Lava
61	Take		Pentecost Central
62	Tabal		Pentecost Central
63	Malmalbo		Pentecost Central
64	Rongrongwul		Pentecost Central
65	Abogae		Pentecost Central
66	Fabulakalaka		Pentecost Central
67	Lalahk		Pentecost Central
68	Renkaru		Pentecost Central
69	Sese			Pentecost North
70	Vabulagaga			Pentecost North
71	Rara			Pentecost North
72	Baraeto		Pentecost North
73	Rabualeva		Pentecost North
74	Kavik		Pentecost North
75	Mangaru		Pentecost North
76	Rongrongvula		Pentecost North
77	Sese laralara		Pentecost North
78	Tarivarusi		Pentecost North
79	Sese		Pentecost South
80	Takere		Pentecost South
81	Lalahk		Pentecost South
82	Tarivarusi		Pentecost South
83	Marino		Santo Central
84	Merei		Santo Central
85	Fock		Santo Central
86	Malogro		Santo Central
87	Thyei		Santo Central
88	Tudey		Santo Central
89	Yevoet	Santo Central
90	Palavoke	Santo South West
91	Pirimerei	Santo West
92	Aheyoke		Santo South West
93	Palisi		Santo West
94	Woko		Santo West
95	Awke		Tanna Central
96	Fare		Tanna Central
97	Kalawas		Tanna Central
98	Tikisikis		Tanna Central
99	Apin		Tanna Central
100	Gnare		Tanna Central
101	Fiji		Tanna Central
102	Pentecost		Tanna Central
103	Rhowen		Tanna Central
104	Tudey		Tanna Central
105	Vila		Tanna Central