The forestry sector plays a significant role in Fiji’s economy, being one of the 21 key industries. Minister for Forestry Alitia Bainivalu announced that the forestry and logging industry contributed around $31.1 million in 2022, which accounts for 0.3 percent of Fiji’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Bainivalu made these remarks while speaking at the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) Conference in Macao, China. She highlighted that Fiji does not export logs but processes its round wood production into two primary products: sawn wood and woodchips. Woodchips are designated for export, while sawn wood is intended for both domestic and international markets.
In 2022, total domestic export earnings reached approximately $1.1 billion, with the forestry sector contributing roughly 6.8 percent, equating to $93 million. Bainivalu explained that since before Fiji’s independence in 1970, the government has invested in forestry plantations using fast-growing species of pine and mahogany.
These plantation efforts have proven successful; there are currently two commercial forest plantation companies jointly owned by the government and landowners, one focused on pine and the other on mahogany. The initiative aims to establish and maintain a sustainable timber industry, reducing reliance on natural forests.
Production from natural forests has been declining over recent years, now accounting for only 3 percent of total national production. In contrast, forest plantations contribute 6 percent from mahogany and an impressive 91 percent from pine. The mahogany plantation is expected to double its production within the next 18 to 24 months, potentially increasing Fiji’s total annual wood production to nearly 600,000 cubic meters.
Bainivalu also pointed out climate change as a significant challenge for the sector. She noted the disruption of seasonal patterns, complicating plantation establishment and harvesting. Prolonged dry periods and rising temperatures have heightened the risk of forest fires in pine plantations, alongside uncertainties regarding the adaptability of the primary plantation species to changing weather conditions.
The reliance on single-species plantations increases the susceptibility to pests and diseases, presenting further risks to the sector’s stability.