Trade between Fiji and New Zealand has reached NZ$1.39 billion (F$1.89 billion) as of the first quarter of this year. This milestone was announced by David Dewar, New Zealand’s Trade Commissioner to the Pacific, during a Fiji-NZ Business Council cocktail event in Suva on Wednesday night. He noted that Fijian exports to New Zealand have surpassed NZ$500 million for the first time.
In the period leading up to March, Fijian exports amounted to NZ$523 million (F$712.7 million), demonstrating significant growth. Dewar commended the businesses present for their contributions to enhancing trade between the two nations. He expressed optimism about future trade figures, suggesting that they could continue to improve, especially in light of the current challenges in travel to Fiji.
Dewar also emphasized the growing collaboration between New Zealand and Fiji in various investment and development projects, predicting a positive outlook for long-term trade projections. He shared statistics revealing that Fiji welcomed 98,332 visitors in July, with 27,676 of those coming from New Zealand, highlighting consistent growth over the past two years.
Tourism and travel services are significant aspects of Fiji’s exports to New Zealand, which also include products such as cane sugar, bottled water, fish, wood, and gold. Overall, Dewar believes there are ample opportunities for further strengthening trade relations between the two countries.