Over 15% of Fiji’s merchandise exports are bound for Australia - Pitt

Australia’s Assistant Minister for Trade and Investment Keith Pitt says he knows that Austrade has led at least seven trade missions to Fiji over the past three years, working with over 80 businesses to explore the opportunities that exist.

While addressing the Australia Fiji Business Council in Sydney, Pitt said that more than 15% of Fiji’s merchandise exports are bound for Australia, surpassed only by the United States at 18%.

He says in practical terms there are over 3,000 Australian businesses exporting to Fiji and around 350,000 Australians visited Fiji last year.

Last year the value of Fiji’s goods and services exports to Australia was $1.3 billion, compared to Australia’s exports to Fiji of $540 million.

Pitt also says that Australian investors have to date invested over $1.3 billion in Fiji, around one‑sixth of all foreign investment in Fiji. 

He say they also can’t overlook Fijian investment in Australia which is valued at $502 million.

Pitt thinks the prospect of the ports at Suva and Lautoka establishing Sea Container Hygiene Systems is an exciting one, which will facilitate greater agricultural trade between Fiji and Australia and New Zealand in the future.

He also says that Australia welcomes the progress Fiji has made as it prepares for its Presidency of COP23 in November and Australia’s Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Senator Fierravanti‑Wells will attend the Pre-COP meeting in Denarau next week.