A delegation of more than 50 Fijian business leaders and Fiji Government officials visited New Zealand on a five-day Trade Mission in late March, with all-day conferences in Auckland and Wellington – and many informal meetings in between.
The outbound mission, organised by Investment Fiji in collaboration with the Fiji Consulate General and Trade Commission (Australia and New Zealand), Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) New Zealand, New Zealand Fiji Business Council and Fiji New Zealand Business Council, allowed Fijian businesses and Department Heads to participate in business-to-business meetings and networking events.
The mission was led by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Co-operatives, Small and Medium Enterprises, and Communications Hon. Manoa Kamikamica.
In a speech to Fijian and New Zealand business leaders at the Cordis Hotel in Auckland on 20th March, Fijian Deputy Prime Minister Hon Manoa Serus Nakausabaria Kamikamica spoke of the great potential for future business between our countries.
Minister Kamikamica’s pointed messages signalled how the Fijian Government is very serious about mobilising efforts to grow Fiji’s trade with New Zealand in goods and services. This includes ensuring that Fiji’s business enabling environment fosters growth in key sectors including agriculture, agriculture tourism, construction, manufacturing, renewable energy and BPO to name a few.
The Deputy Prime Minister pointed out that new business interests in building low-cost housing, and in renewable energy solutions, are areas that the Fijian government is keen to support.
Minister Kamikamica called on New Zealand companies to consider Fiji as a stable economy with many investment opportunities especially in back-office processing. “In fact” he said, ““A massive construction boom is about to happen. There are other major trade and investment opportunities in Fiji in agriculture, tourism and retirement homes”.
Notable presence of Government department heads from Biosecurity, Immigration, Lands & Minerial Resources, I-Taukei Lands, heads of financial institutions including the Reserve Bank, were present to share information about the Fijian economy and to encourage New Zealand businesses to engage with them on matters of interest.
In trade terms, Fiji’s exports to New Zealand in 2022 was valued at just over NZ$74m which accounted for 56.9% of total exports from all 16 pacific island countries including the French Territories of New Caledonia and French Polynesia. In volume terms, Fiji’s exports to New Zealand in all sectors accounted for 172,661kg or 0.3% of all exports from the pacific to New Zealand.
Fiji is New Zealand’s largest trading partner in the Pacific. This is evident with the value of imports from Fiji accounting for 61.1% of New Zealand’s imports from the Blue Pacific economies.
Accompanying the trade and investment mission to Fiji, was Aztec Farms, a Fijian company based near Nadi, which specialises in all-natural herb teas, spices and artisan chocolate made from locally sourced ingredients.
The teas – aimed at a premium, boutique market in New Zealand and Australia – are mostly blends, of cardamon, ginger, lemon grass, mint, moringa and turmeric.
Aztec Farms is a family owned business which focusses on herbal teams with health benefits. Director Ellen La Porte and her family have been in Fiji for 30 years, having moved there from the USA, where they had much experience in various food-producing enterprises. In 2006, they established a joint venture importing Yoplait brand yoghurt products into Fiji and other pacific island countries
With their distinctive packaging in craft paper boxes and biodegradable tea bags, Aztec Farms herbal teas are well placed for the gourmet delicatessen and organic foods markets of New Zealand. And for direct selling to boutique hotels and B&B to offer something special to their guests in their rooms.
Responding to the “huge demand’ for Fijian cacao, Aztec Farms is expanding into artisan chocolate production, starting with three varieties.
According to Ellen the Fiji Trade and Investment Mission to New Zealand was an eye opener for her where she learned a lot about the New Zealand market for speciality products like hers.
