THE livelihood of around 34,000 small holder farmers across Fiji hangs in the balance as the Fiji Government invokes its diplomatic clout to negotiate with the United States for a fair import tariff deal on Fiji exports before July 9, when the 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump early this month expires.
In his Ministerial speech in Parliament yesterday, Minister for Trade Manoa Kamikamica said while the Government understood USA’s desire to impose tariffs, it was calling for “proportionality, fairness and reasonableness” given that about 72per cent of all US goods imported into Fiji entered duty-free while tariff rates were generally low and facilitative for the remaining imports.
“Some of Fiji’s major exports to the US include bottled water, kava, fresh turmeric, cane sugar, seafood, fish, high-quality mahogany, and smaller quantities of various agricultural products such as taro, ginger, and a variety of value-added fast-moving consumer goods.
“These products are highly regarded in the US market, and their presence reflects the diverse nature of products that Fiji offers.
“Behind these exports are thousands of livelihoods in Fiji. Over 18,000 smallholder farmers rely on the kava industry. More than 5,000 farmers depend on ginger, turmeric, and skincare value chains, and approximately 11,000 farmers are engaged in the sugarcane industry,” Mr Kamikamica said.
What they produce directly feeds into the supply chain of Fiji’s exports into the US market, which, according to Mr Kamikamica, remained Fiji’s number one export destination, accounting for approximately 20per cent of all goods exported.
“A recent survey conducted by our Trade Commission North America, in response to the proposed new tariffs found that for some of our businesses — particularly those in fresh turmeric, kava, ginger, and skincare — the United States represents 100 per cent of their total export market,” he said.
“In fact, around 70 per cent of our key exporters derive over 60per cent of their revenue from the US market alone.
“These statistics emphasise just how critical the US market is to the success of Fijian exporters, and by extension, to the livelihood of thousands of Fijian families.”
Mr Kamikamica said the Trade Ministry has been engaged in consultation with the US Trade Office, including a high-level meeting between him and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the tariff issue.
“The meeting was very positive, with both sides reaffirming the longstanding Fiji–US relationship and expressing commitment to deepening trade cooperation,” Mr Kamikamica said.
Note: This article was first published on the print version of the Fiji Times dated April 29, 2025
