The forestry sector plays a vital 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, representing 0.3 percent of Fiji’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Bainivalu made these remarks during the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) Conference held in Macao, China. She noted that Fiji does not export logs but processes its round wood production into sawn wood and woodchips, which are the primary products. Export woodchips are produced, while sawn wood is aimed at both domestic and international markets.
In 2022, the sector was estimated to have contributed about 6.8 percent, or $93 million, to the total domestic export earnings of $1.1 billion. She highlighted the government’s long-term commitment to forestry, initiated even before independence in 1970, which included investments in plantations using fast-growing exotic species like pine and mahogany.
Bainivalu explained that this initiative led to the establishment of two commercial forest plantation companies, co-owned by the government and landowners, one managing pine and the other, mahogany. The goal was to create a sustainable timber industry that minimizes dependence on natural forests.
Production from natural forests has been on the decline, currently accounting for only 3 percent of total national production, contrasted with the contributions from plantations—6 percent from mahogany and 91 percent from pine. The minister also mentioned that mahogany production is expected to double within the next 18 to 24 months, potentially bringing total wood production close to 600,000 cubic meters annually.
With the majority of remaining natural forests likely to be reserved for non-wood uses and services, future wood supply will primarily come from plantations.
However, Bainivalu identified climate change as a significant challenge for the sector. She noted the increasing difficulty in managing plantation establishment and harvesting due to the changing patterns of wet and dry seasons. Longer periods of dry weather and rising temperatures heighten the risk of forest fires, particularly impacting pine plantations. Additionally, the changing climate raises concerns regarding pests and diseases affecting the main plantation species, given that all commercial plantations consist of a single species.