The Forestry Sector plays a crucial role in Fiji’s economy, being one of the 21 key industries. In 2022, this sector contributed approximately $31.1 million, which represents about 0.3 percent of Fiji’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as announced by Minister for Forestry Alitia Bainivalu during her address at the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) Conference in Macao, China.
Minister Bainivalu noted that while Fiji does not export logs, the country processes all of its round wood production into sawn wood and woodchips, which are the primary products. “Woodchips are exported while sawn wood is aimed at both domestic and export markets,” she explained.
In 2022, the total domestic export earnings were estimated at $1.1 billion, with the forestry sector accounting for approximately 6.8 percent, or $93 million.
She highlighted that the Fijian Government had the foresight to invest in forestry plantations even before the country gained independence in 1970, focusing on fast-growing species such as pine and mahogany. “Our plantation efforts have been quite successful, resulting in two commercial forest plantation companies owned jointly by the Government and landowners—one managing pine and the other mahogany,” she added.
The philosophy behind these efforts was to promote a sustainable timber industry for both domestic and export markets while reducing reliance on natural forests. Current production from natural forests has been on the decline, contributing only 3 percent of the national total. In contrast, forest plantations make up the majority of production, with mahogany contributing 6 percent and pine accounting for 91 percent.
The minister projected that mahogany plantation production could double within the next 18 to 24 months, bringing total wood production to nearly 600,000 cubic meters annually. With most natural forests likely to be preserved for non-wood uses and services, the majority of wood is expected to come from plantations.
Despite these advancements, Minister Bainivalu identified climate change as a significant challenge for the sector. She expressed concern that the clear distinction between wet and dry seasons has diminished, complicating plantation establishment and harvesting. Increased dryness and rising temperatures heighten the risk of forest fires, particularly affecting pine plantations, while the uncertainty surrounding the adaptability of main plantation species to changing weather patterns poses additional risks, including the potential for pest and disease outbreaks due to the uniformity of the tree species used in commercial plantations.