The forestry sector is one of the key industries driving Fiji’s economy, contributing around $31.1 million in 2022. Minister for Forestry Alitia Bainivalu shared these insights while speaking at the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) Conference in Macao, China.
This contribution accounts for approximately 0.3 percent of Fiji’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Bainivalu noted that Fiji is not a log exporter; instead, it processes its round wood production into sawn wood and woodchips, the primary products of the industry. Woodchips are intended for export while sawn wood is aimed at both domestic and international markets.
In 2022, total domestic export earnings were estimated at $1.1 billion, with the forestry sector contributing about 6.8 percent, amounting to $93 million. The Minister expressed gratitude that the Fijian Government had the foresight to invest in forestry plantations prior to the nation’s independence in 1970, utilizing two fast-growing exotic species: pine and mahogany.
Her statements emphasized the success of these plantation efforts, which led to the establishment of two commercial forest plantation companies owned jointly by the Government and landowners—one managing pine and the other mahogany. The overarching goal was to create a sustainable timber industry that meets both domestic and export needs, thereby reducing reliance on natural forests.
Bainivalu highlighted that production from natural forests has been decreasing for several years, contributing only 3 percent of the national output, while forest plantations of mahogany and pine accounted for 6 percent and 91 percent, respectively. She projected that the mahogany plantation’s production is expected to double within the next 18 to 24 months, aiming to bring total wood production close to 600,000 cubic meters annually. With most remaining natural forests likely to be preserved for non-wood uses and services, future wood sourcing will depend almost entirely on plantations.
However, the sector faces significant challenges, particularly from climate change. Bainivalu noted the increasingly blurred lines between wet and dry seasons, complicating plantation establishment and harvesting. The extended dry spells and rising temperatures heighten the risk of forest fires, especially concerning the pine plantations, while the adaptability of main plantation species to changing weather patterns due to climate change remains uncertain.
She also cautioned that the risks are heightened due to the monoculture of the commercial plantations, which makes them vulnerable to pests and diseases.