TRADE between Fiji and New Zealand was recorded at $1.38billion as of September last year.
This was revealed by Fiji-New Zealand Business Council (FNZBC) president James Trusler at the council’s 34th annual general meeting (AGM) on Wednesday this week.
He said during that period, New Zealand had exported $841.92million of total goods and services to Fiji, and Fiji had exported $533.39m worth of goods and services to New Zealand.
He also noted the target set at the joint Fiji New Zealand-New Zealand Fiji Business Council conference in Nadi last year of a new two-way trade target of $2bn.
“Following from the conference, we received a letter from the Prime Minister of Fiji Sitiveni Rabuka suggesting that we draw up a plan on archiving the $2bn trade,” Mr Trusler said.
“A subcommittee has been established, and we are working with the NZFBC to see how we can assist with increasing trade cooperation to achieve this ambitious target.”
As of the March quarter last year, trade between the two countries was reported at $NZ1.39b ($F1.89b).
New Zealand Trade Commissioner to the Pacific in Fiji David Dewar had said then that trade had finally reached that level in Fiji for the first time, having surpassed $NZ500m ($F712.7m) in the year to March.
Fiji’s exports of goods and services to New Zealand for the year until September 2023 had reached an all-time high of $NZ502m (approx. $F689m).
Mr Trusler also noted the 1million visitors that had visited Fiji.
The Fiji Bureau of Statistics’ latest figures on tourism arrivals reported 70,794 visitors arrived in Fiji in January this year alone, out of which 12,373 were from New Zealand.
New committee members were also elected at the AGM, and include: president James Trusler, Anare Manulevu, Cama Raimuria, Jeetender Rai, Kamal Reddy, Kaushal Tappoo, Mark Hirst, immediate past president Renu Chand, and Tia Punja.
NOTE: This article was first published in the print edition of the Fiji Times dated FEBRUARY 22, 2025.
