Since the inception of the Fijian Made-Buy Fijian Campaign in 2011 3637 products and 663 businesses were licensed including the Fijian Organic brand.
This was revealed by the Minister of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport Faiyaz Koya while responding to questions on how the Fijian Made-Buy Fijian Campaign contributed towards generating new economic activity during the COVID-19 pandemic on Wednesday 26.
He said the Fijian Made-Buy Fijian Campaign was primarily to promote and raise the profile of Fijian made products and produce, both domestically and internationally through a national branding strategy.
Mr Koya said the obvious benefits of this campaign had been growth of local businesses, job creation, income generation, rural development, poverty alleviation and empowerment of ordinary Fijians, and micro businesses, to name a few.
“We are all aware the campaign has an equalisation effect overall.
“The Fijian Made brand has given women more opportunities to use their traditional skills participate in economic empowerment, and, it has given rise to micro and small businesses to grow through the Fijian Crafted emblem.
“As such we have promoted and encouraged more women to register under the Fijian Crafted and sewn emblems.
“The Fijian Made campaign takes on a greater importance now when our economy is being ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Supporting Fijian Made industries and products would ensure the economy was able to survive the deleterious impacts of COVID-19 and ensure the country’s regional and global footprint, according to Mr Koya.
He said some Fijian Made businesses were implementing a number of strategies to diversify and sustain themselves during the pandemic.
“An example is a Nadi business that processes raw coffee beans locally into new diversified product such as cold brew and chocolates, as well as modifying their coffee process to more economical and environmentally friendly.
“A company that otherwise manufactured every day clothing now procuring face masks. Businesses moving digital.”
He said this year they had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Vodafone and Post Fiji to provide Fijian Made businesses an e-commerce platform.
