A Savai'i-based company will soon see improvements in the processing of its ava with the installation of a solar dryer following the signing of an agreement.

Satuala Developments has signed an agreement with the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus (PHAMA Plus) program, according to a press release issued last Thursday.

The Australian and New Zealand-supported program is supporting Satuala to adopt a self-build solar dryer for their kava. It uses a greenhouse-style model that has proven successful in drying cocoa beans and ava in other Pacific countries.

Clocking over 30 years in a family-owned agri-business, Satuala Developments grows taro, taamu and ava. Satuala supplies ava in the local market and recently started exporting to the demanding U.S. market which is supplied with products from its own plantation and from nearby farmers.

The owners of Satuala Developments, Aliimalemanu Ropati and Misileti Satuala, talked about the hurdles they faced when processing their ava.

“One of the main constraints for our business is bad weather, which delays the drying as kava is put out to dry on mats in the open sun. When it rains, the kava can get mouldy, which lowers the quality of the product.”

PHAMA Plus Country Manager, Asuao Kirifi Pouono talked about the benefits of the technology and what it can mean for other farmers.

 “We are keen to see the technology being adopted by Satuala Developments, and hope to help others to adopt these sorts of dryers.”

PHAMA Plus has been facilitating the use of solar dryers in Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, PNG and Samoa, to increase product quality, export volumes and returns to both exporters and farmers.