The Forestry Sector plays a crucial role in Fiji’s economy, being one of the 21 key industries contributing to its growth. In 2022, the forestry and logging industry generated around $31.1 million, as reported by Minister for Forestry Alitia Bainivalu. This contribution represents 0.3 percent of Fiji’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Minister Bainivalu made these remarks while speaking at the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) Conference held in Macao, China. She explained that although Fiji does not engage in log exports, it transforms its entire round wood production into sawn wood and woodchips, which are the primary products. Woodchips are primarily exported, while sawn wood caters to both domestic and international markets.
In 2022, the overall domestic export earnings for Fiji were approximately $1.1 billion, with the forestry sector accounting for about 6.8 percent, or $93 million, of this total. Bainivalu noted that the Fijian Government, even prior to independence in 1970, had the vision to invest in forestry plantations, utilizing two rapidly growing exotic species: pine and mahogany.
Bainivalu highlighted the success of these plantation efforts, leading to the establishment of two commercial forest plantation companies owned jointly by the Government and landowners, with one focused on managing pine and the other on mahogany. The initiative aimed to foster a sustainable timber industry that serves both domestic and export markets while reducing reliance on natural forests.
She pointed out that production from natural forests has been diminishing over the years and now accounts for only 3 percent of total national production, with the remaining 97 percent sourced from forest plantations—91 percent from pine and 6 percent from mahogany. Bainivalu expects that mahogany plantation production will double within the next 18 to 24 months, bringing 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, nearly all wood produced in the future is expected to come from plantations.
However, the sector faces significant challenges, particularly from climate change. Bainivalu stated that the clear distinctions between wet and dry seasons are fading, complicating the planning and execution of plantation establishment and harvesting. Increased dry weather and rising temperatures heighten the risk of forest fires, especially impacting the pine plantations. Additionally, the ability of the primary plantation species to adapt to evolving weather patterns poses further uncertainty. The reliance on a single species in commercial plantations amplifies these risks, including threats from pests and diseases.