The forestry sector plays a crucial role in Fiji’s economy, being one of the 21 key industries contributing to the nation’s financial health. In 2022, this sector generated approximately $31.1 million, a figure highlighted by Minister for Forestry Alitia Bainivalu.
This contribution represents about 0.3 percent of Fiji’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Minister Bainivalu made these remarks during her address at the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) Conference held in Macao, China. She pointed out that although Fiji does not export logs, it processes all its round wood production into two primary products: sawn wood and woodchips. Woodchips are exported, while sawn wood is aimed at both domestic and international markets.
In 2022, Fiji’s total domestic export earnings were estimated at $1.1 billion, with the forestry sector accounting for roughly 6.8 percent, or around $93 million. Bainivalu also noted that the Fijian Government, even prior to the country’s independence in 1970, recognized the importance of investing in forestry plantations using fast-growing exotic species like pine and mahogany.
She stated that the efforts in plantation management have been successful, leading to the establishment of two commercial forest plantation companies, co-owned by the Government and landowners, with one focusing on pine and the other on mahogany. The goal was to develop a sustainable timber industry that serves both domestic needs and export markets while minimizing reliance on natural forests.
Bainivalu indicated that production from natural forests has been decreasing for several years, currently contributing only 3 percent of total national production. In contrast, plantation forests produce 91 percent from pine and 6 percent from mahogany. She anticipates 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 expected to be preserved for non-wood purposes, nearly all wood production will come from plantations.
However, Bainivalu emphasized that the sector faces significant challenges due to climate change. The previously clear distinction between wet and dry seasons has diminished, complicating plantation management and harvesting. Increased dry conditions and rising temperatures augment the risk of forest fires, particularly in pine plantations, and threaten the main species cultivated in the face of shifting weather patterns.
She expressed concern about the vulnerability of commercial plantations, which predominantly consist of a single species, as such a lack of biodiversity heightens the risks of pest and disease outbreaks.