Fiji reaps record exports of agri-products to China

Fiji's agricultural exports hit a record high last year, with strong demand from China for the country's kava crop helping to drive growth, according to the latest figures.

Fiji's fresh and frozen agricultural exports excluding sugar reached 187.2 million Fijian dollars ($82.8 million) last year, marking a 17.1 percent rise from 2024 and the highest annual export value recorded since 2013, the country's Ministry of Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry said last month.

Kava, a traditional Pacific Island crop, remained a major agricultural export commodity for the South Pacific archipelagic nation and generated 79.1 million Fijian dollars, accounting for 42.3 percent of total agricultural export earnings, the ministry said.

Fiji's agricultural exports include sugar, taro and turmeric, while sugarcane production is set to reach about 1.5 million metric tons this year. The kava plant's roots and stems are commonly crushed and mixed with water to make a beverage. Kava is also used in medical, health and wellness sectors in tablet and capsule forms.

"Exports to China increased significantly from 4.3 million Fijian dollars in 2024 to 17.5 million Fijian dollars in 2025, driven primarily by strong demand for Fijian kava," according to the ministry, which highlighted China as a "breakthrough market" for the country's fastest-growing agricultural exports last year.

Tomasi Tunabuna, the minister for agriculture, waterways and sugar industry, said Fiji's non-sugar agricultural sector continues to demonstrate strong growth and competitiveness, supported by increasing global demand for high-value agricultural commodities and expanding market opportunities.

He also highlighted the improved access to high-value international markets, such as China, Australia and New Zealand.

"Every dollar earned through agricultural exports generates benefits that extend beyond the farm gate. Increased export earnings support economic growth, create jobs, strengthen rural communities and contribute to national development through improved infrastructure, education and public services," he said.

Chen Xiaochen, executive director of the Centre for Asia Pacific Studies at East China Normal University in Shanghai, told China Daily that Fiji's kava exports to the Chinese market have increasingly tapped e-commerce platforms, which is a significant factor in the strong figures for the sector in the past few years.

The successful positioning and marketing of kava products as a beverage is another major factor behind the growth, he said.

According to Tourism Fiji, the Fijian government's tourism marketing arm, kava is "Fiji's national drink".

Despite its bitter taste, Pacific Islanders have acquired a taste for the beverage that is mildly sedative and creates a "calm, easy-going" effect, and gives drinkers a "slightly numb feeling" in their mouths, it said.

Booming business

The crop is fueling "a booming business both locally and overseas", Tourism Fiji said, with its products expanding to cookies, chocolates and ice pops.

Zane Yoshida, founder and CEO of The Calmer Co, a wellness-focused company based in Brisbane, capital of Australia's Queensland state, markets the FijiKava brand. He told China Daily that while the firm's main business currently caters mostly to the United States and Australian markets, the Chinese market is poised for considerable growth.

He said much of the kava exports from the South Pacific to China are in raw form and require processing, adding that there are a lot of opportunities for direct consumption of the products.

"Given kava's therapeutic benefits, (and) also the fact that many members of the younger generation are drinking less alcohol and they are looking to natural, healthier alternatives, it all fits in very nicely," Yoshida said.

All medicinal beverages and other imports for the Chinese market may still need the requisite regulatory green light from the relevant authorities, Chen from East China Normal University said.

As such, platforms like the China International Import Expo, with their trade support mechanisms, can be important in that regard, Chen said.