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Samoa Govt. urged to help ava growers

One of the biggest ava growers in Samoa, Mau’u Siaosi Pu’epu’emai, of Samamea Fagaloa, has made a small plea to the government.He wants them to put money where their mouth is to develop the industry into something that would benefit Samoa in the future.The call follows a decision by a High Court in Germany to lift the nation’s 12-year ban on ava products. The decision opens an opportunity for famers in Samoa to once again pursue this revenue stream. Speaking to the Samoa Observer, Mau’u welcomes the news. He congratulates the Chairman of the International Kava Executive Council’s (I.K.E.C.), Tagaloa Eddie Wilson, for his relentless campaign to remove the ban.But Mau’u said the government must urgently begin the process of encouraging ava farmers to get back into growing the crop.“Now we have the market back on track, the question is do we have enough to supply the market,” he said. “The answer to this question depends on the growers and farmers.”At the moment, Mau’u said there are not enough ava plants in Samoa if there is a sudden demand for ava products.It should not stay that way forever, though, Mau’u says.“The only way that I think would be effective and would help the industry get back on its feet is for the government to offer a bonus for ava,” he says.“We have a stimulus package for planting koko and coconuts. Why can’t we have one for the ava industry again?\“There is a big market for us in Europe and if farmers are not assisted by the government