FIJI is ready for investors wanting to invest in food processing, agritech or logistics.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Cooperatives, MSMEs and Communications Manoa Kamikamica made this remark while officially opening the three-day Fiji Business Mission forum that started at the Novotel Hotel Lami Bay yesterday.
Noting the countries’ leaders goals last year to increase bilateral trade to $2billion by 2030, Mr Kamikamica said the real commercial opportunities in Fiji for New Zealand companies lay in agriculture, tourism and renewable energy.
He said Fiji has fertile land, abundant rainfall and a government backing agriculture to become one of the country’s key export growth sectors.
He said Fiji was already exporting ginger, turmeric, taro, kava, papaya, pineapples, and tropical fruits and vegetables, and now the country wanted to move beyond raw exports.
“We need partners to invest in cold chain logistics – chillers, storage, packhouses – to help maintain quality and freshness from farm to port,” Mr Kamikamica said.
“There are already gaps in our supply chain that New Zealand firms could step in to fill.
“You can also explore joint ventures in processing cassava, pineapples, and breadfruit; turning them into frozen, dried or pureed forms for export to New Zealand or international supermarkets and foodservice suppliers,” he said.
Mr Kamikamica said Fiji also welcomed the development of contract farming or outgrower models – where New Zealand buyers worked directly with Fijian farmers to meet specific quantity and quality standards.
He said that was already being done with ginger exports, and the model also worked for cassava and taro.
“So if you’re in food processing, agritech or logistics, Fiji is ready.”
Trade between Fiji and New Zealand has seen consistent and promising growth, the DPM said.
He said last year, two-way trade in goods surpassed $1.15bn, making it a milestone record that reflected both economic recovery and renewed business confidence.
“When New Zealand businesses expand into Fiji, or when Fijian products like taro and skincare make their way onto shelves in New Zealand, we are strengthening both our economic and cultural ties.”
Meanwhile, Investment Fiji chief executive officer Kamal Chetty commended the business forum hosted by the New Zealand Business Council.
He said it was an integral platform to get in key stakeholders in Fiji in the same room with investors to enhance and strengthen collaborative efforts to boost investment and trade between the two countries.
“New Zealand has always been a key market for Fiji and the two nations share a long standing history with each other in terms of bilateral trade and business,” Mr Chetty said.
“Currently we are working with about 40 investment leads from New Zealand in sectors such as services, manufacturing, real estate and BPO.
The biggest talked about projects were implemented in sectors such as services, services, agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and real estate,” he added
Note: This article was first published on the print version of the Fiji Times dated July 15, 2025
