Reducing our import bill is a priority for the Ministry of Trade.

Minister, Manoa Kamikamica says this will be possible if we substitute imported products for domestic ones.

Kamikamica says Fiji can achieve economic and food security if it restores food independence through import substitution.

“Fiji is already self-sufficient in the production of pork, canned meat and chicken. The business model can be studied and replicated to other agricultural livestock and crops.”

Kamikamica says economic models like sustainable smallholder integration have helped build the capacity of local farmers.

“These types of models reduce the uncertainty related to farming activities. It aims to integrate smallholders into commercial value chains in response to this broad spectrum of risks and trade-offs.”

Kamikamica says to strengthen our economic resilience and remain competitive in the face of economic challenges, we need to identify new opportunities and build new engines of growth.

This includes developing policies to trigger transformational efforts.