flag Fiji Islands Fiji Islands: Trade Profile

Foreign Trade in Figures

Fiji is open to foreign trade, which represents 82% of the country’s GDP (World Bank, latest data available). Trade remains very much controlled by the government, and customs duties are relatively high, with an average applied tariff rate of around 16.6% (World Bank). Furthermore, non-tariff barriers - such as the restrictions on import licences, several different import taxes, and tax incentives offered to local exporters – contribute to hindering foreign trade. The country mainly exports water (12.8%), petroleum oils (10.6%), frozen fish (7.5%), and gold (7.2%); while imports are led by petroleum oils (14.9%), powered aircraft (7%), electrical apparatus (2.7%), and wheat and meslin (2.5% - Comtrade).

According to data by Comtrade, in 2021 Fiji’s major sources of imports were Singapore (17.1%), Australia (16.9%), China (15%), New Zealand (14.8%), and the U.S. (10.6%). The main destinations for exports were the U.S. (20.5%), Australia (16.5%), New Zealand (8.2%), Tonga (5.8%), and China (5.7%). Fiji has a number of free trade agreements and the government launched the National Export Strategy (NES) to increase the level of exports.

The country has a structural trade deficit that has been growing in recent years. In 2021, Fiji exported USD 815 million worth of merchandise against USD 2.1 billion in imports; while concerning services exports stood at USD 284 million vis-à-vis USD 509 million in imports (data WTO). Due to the fall in exports, the trade deficit widened to 27.3% of GDP in 2021 (from 16.7% one year earlier – according to the World Bank). According to figures from the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2022, domestic exports stood at USD 1.3 billion (+9.8% year-on-year), whereas imports totalled almost USD 6.6 billion (+47.1% y-o-y).

 
Foreign Trade Indicators 20182019202020212022
Imports of Goods (million USD) 2,7202,7341,7312,1162,997
Exports of Goods (million USD) 1,0411,0338268151,055
Imports of Services (million USD) 731792498510753
Exports of Services (million USD) 1,6571,6104112841,329
Trade Balance (million USD) -1,359-1,388-660-947-1,632
Foreign Trade (in % of GDP) 1031077282108
Imports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 5559445562
Exports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 4848282746

Source: WTO – World Trade Organisation ; World Bank - Latest available data.

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Main Partner Countries

Main Customers
(% of Exports)
2022
United States 21.0%
Australia 10.5%
Tonga 6.8%
New Zealand 6.2%
Samoa 3.3%
See More Countries 52.3%
Main Suppliers
(% of Imports)
2022
Singapore 25.9%
China 15.7%
Australia 15.6%
New Zealand 13.5%
Malaysia 3.9%
See More Countries 25.5%

Source: Comtrade, Latest Available Data

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Main Products

1.1 bn USD of products exported in 2022
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (excl. crude); preparations containing >= 70% by weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic constituents of the preparations, n.e.s.; waste oils containing mainly petroleum or bituminous minerals 23.2%
Waters, incl. natural or artificial mineral waters...Waters, incl. natural or artificial mineral waters and aerated waters, not containing added sugar, other sweetening matter or flavoured; ice and snow 15.6%
Frozen fish (excl. fish fillets and other fish...Frozen fish (excl. fish fillets and other fish meat of heading 0304) 7.3%
Cane or beet sugar and chemically pure sucrose, in...Cane or beet sugar and chemically pure sucrose, in solid form 5.7%
Gold, incl. gold plated with platinum, unwrought...Gold, incl. gold plated with platinum, unwrought or not further worked than semi-manufactured or in powder form 4.4%
See More Products 43.8%
3.0 bn USD of products imported in 2022
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (excl. crude); preparations containing >= 70% by weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic constituents of the preparations, n.e.s.; waste oils containing mainly petroleum or bituminous minerals 23.2%
Wheat and meslinWheat and meslin 2.6%
Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally...Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, incl. station wagons and racing cars (excl. motor vehicles of heading 8702) 2.3%
Telephone sets, incl. telephones for cellular...Telephone sets, incl. telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks; other apparatus for the transmission or reception of voice, images or other data, incl. apparatus for communication in a wired or wireless network [such as a local or wide area network]; parts thereof (excl. than transmission or reception apparatus of heading 8443, 8525, 8527 or 8528) 2.0%
Motor vehicles for the transport of goods, incl....Motor vehicles for the transport of goods, incl. chassis with engine and cab 1.6%
See More Products 68.3%

Source: Comtrade, Latest Available Data

 

To go further, check out our service Import controls and Export Controls

To go further, check out our service Import Export Flows

 
 

Main Services

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, Latest Available Data

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List of tariffs and local taxes that apply to your product on our service Customs duties

 

Trade Compliance

International Conventions
Member of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
Useful Resources
Revenue and Customs Authority (FIRCA)
National Organisation of Intellectual Property
The Office of the Attorney-General.
 
 
 

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Latest Update: November 2023