A recent survey by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community has shown that Fiji exported 164 tonnes of sandalwood between 2010 and 2022, generating over $11 million for the national economy.
This information was shared by Fisheries and Forestry Minister Alitia Bainivalu at the APFNet Sandalwood Project Inception Meeting held in Suva. She emphasized the government’s commitment to revitalizing sandalwood development in the country, noting that more than $1 million has been invested in the sector over the past twelve years.
Despite this investment, Bainivalu acknowledged that significant challenges remain, largely due to limited financial resources and capacity. She expressed optimism about the APFNet project, which has received nearly $1 million in funding over three years, believing it will lead to substantial progress and positive outcomes.
Fiji became a member of the APFNet Council in 2016 and has been an active participant from the Oceania region. Bainivalu conveyed gratitude for the APFNet’s approval of the project grant totaling $999,400, aimed at promoting sustainable sandalwood production in Fiji.
The project proposal was developed in 2021 and received approval in 2022. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the project was signed in October 2023 between Fiji’s Ministry of Forestry and APFNet during the First Pu’er Forum of Asia-Pacific Forests in Pu’er, Yunnan, China.