Fiji recorded a merchandise trade deficit of $479.3 million in August 2026, with the value of imported goods more than three times that of exports.
The latest International Merchandise Trade Statistics released by the Fiji Bureau of Statistics yesterday show imports reached $703.8 million, while total exports stood at $224.5 million.
The deficit widened from $421.6 million in August last year, an increase of $57.8 million.
Compared with July 2026, however, the trade deficit narrowed from $500.8 million.
The figures show that imports increased by $78.9 million compared with August 2025, while total exports rose by $21.2 million.
Singapore remained Fiji’s largest source of imports, with shipments valued at $180.4 million, an increase of $98.6 million or 120.4 per cent.
The increase was driven largely by imports of diesel, residual fuel oil and aviation turbine fuel.
Australia followed with imports worth $115.7 million, up 11 per cent, while imports from China declined by 15.1 per cent to $111.7 million.
Imports from New Zealand fell by 8.4 per cent to $93.6 million, while those from Japan increased by 19.2 per cent to $28.3 million.
On the export side, the United States remained Fiji’s largest destination for domestically produced goods, receiving exports valued at $45.8 million.
This represented a slight decline of 1.1 per cent compared with August last year.
China recorded a significant increase in imports of Fijian goods, with domestic exports rising by 170.8 per cent to $37.8 million.
The increase was attributed to higher exports of non-coniferous wood chips, gold ores and concentrates, and raintree timber products.
Domestic exports to Australia declined by 4.9 per cent to $13.1 million, while exports to New Zealand increased by 5.7 per cent to $10.2 million.
Exports to Vanuatu fell by 8.4 per cent to $5.5 million.
The Bureau’s figures also show that Fiji’s merchandise trade deficit reached $3.86 billion during the first eight months of 2026.
Total imports for the January-to-August period amounted to $5.73 billion, compared with total exports of $1.87 billion.
The statistics cover trade in goods and do not include services such as tourism, which is a major source of foreign exchange earnings for Fiji.
