The Ministry of Commerce and Business Development has launched a nationwide survey to assess how rising fuel costs are affecting businesses and co-operatives across Fiji.
The survey comes amid concerns over escalating global fuel prices linked to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and wider disruptions to fuel supplies from the Middle East.
According to the Ministry, the exercise is aimed at providing Government with a rapid snapshot of the challenges businesses are facing and helping to inform future planning and possible support measures.
Business owners are being asked to provide information on their current operating conditions and their expectations over the next one to three months if fuel prices remain at or above current levels.
The survey covers a broad range of sectors, including agriculture, tourism, transportation, manufacturing, fisheries, construction, retail, information technology and professional services.
Information sought includes business location, size, years of operation, turnover levels and the extent to which enterprises are linked to the tourism industry.
The Ministry has assured participants that all findings will be reported only in aggregated form, with individual business details, including names and contact information, remaining confidential and not being shared with other government agencies.
Officials say the survey will take between seven and ten minutes to complete and participation is voluntary.
The initiative comes as governments and businesses worldwide continue to monitor the potential economic fallout from instability in the Middle East, particularly its impact on global energy markets and fuel prices.
