Praneeta Prakash 
Investment Fiji is using a new strategy to lessen the effects of a 15 percent U.S. tariff on key exports like bottled water and tuna.
According to Investment Fiji Chief Executive Kamal Chetty, the organization is actively participating in international trade missions to promote Fijian products in other markets.
He made the comments after Standing Committee on Public Accounts member Alvick Maharaj raised concerns about PAFCO, noting that discussions around U.S. tariffs often focus on bottled water and overlook PAFCO which is a major tuna exporter.
Maharaj says that with a 15% tariff, PAFCO risks being priced out of the U.S. market and asked what strategies are in place to support the company.
Chetty says Fiji is leading trade missions to New Zealand, Australia, China, and the Pacific, with key tuna exporter PAFCO actively involved in these efforts.
“We are concerned about what the impact might be, but we are also looking for an alternative market for them. So at the moment, most recently in September, we’ll be going to New Zealand and PAFCO is part of that delegation that will be taking them to New Zealand.”
Investment Fiji Chair, Lorraine Seeto says they are also intensifying efforts to open new trade avenues.
“Australia is the other market as well that we encourage our exporters and PAFCO to go to, because we have a lot of diaspora there. Diaspora like to eat Fiji products. So that’s one area that they can focus in as well.”
Investment Fiji Deputy Chair Mark Halabe welcomed a recent breakthrough with the European Union, which now allows Fiji to export fish sourced from any country as long as it is processed locally.
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