Leader of the Opposition Inia Seruiratu says a recent visit to London exposed a major obstacle facing Fiji’s mahogany exports, revealing that a shipment of timber is sitting in a United Kingdom storage yard because it lacks the certification required for sale.
Speaking in Parliament yesterday during the debate on the 2026-2027 National Budget, Seruiratu said he learned of the issue while attending London Climate Action Week, where he met Fiji’s High Commissioner.
“I was in London a few weeks ago on the London Climate Action Week, and I had a lengthy discussion with our High Commissioner,” Seruiratu said.
“As we speak, there is a container already in one of the yards in the UK where it cannot be offloaded. It cannot be sold simply because the mahogany is arriving without the certification.”
Seruiratu said the incident highlights the urgent need for Fiji to fast-track certification of its mahogany industry following the recent passage of the Mahogany Bill.
He said certification should now be treated as a national priority and called on the Ministries of Environment, Trade, Foreign Affairs and Forestry to work together to resolve the issue.
“The certification needs to take priority,” he said.
According to Seruiratu, certification involves two critical elements—meeting environmental sustainability standards and ensuring a documented chain of custody from forest to market.
He said these requirements are essential if Fiji wants to compete in premium international markets.
“There are a lot of illegal scenes of mahogany around the world. We are only accessing the American market mainly now because of just an agreement. But for us to get into the niche markets, and particularly even Australia and New Zealand, we need the certification process.”
Seruiratu said the passage of the Mahogany Bill presents Fiji with a significant opportunity to expand value-added manufacturing and increase export earnings, but warned those benefits could be lost if certification remains unresolved.
“We have a huge opportunity in terms of manufacturing now because of the recent Mahogany Bill that has been passed. That must be a priority,” he said.
