Fiji

FIJI Post-Disaster Needs Assessment
Table 24: Total Recovery and Reconstruction Needs for the Agriculture Sector (F$ million)
Subsector Recovery Reconstruction Resilience Total
Crops 30.3 9.4 39.7
Sugar 12.4 28.7 41.1
Livestock 1.2 9.6 10.8
Fisheries 18.0 47.2 65.2
Forestry 3.4 1.2 4.6
Total 65.3 96.1 161.4
Source: Estimations by Assessment Team.
Note: A detailed breakdown of recovery needs by sector is included in Annex 2.
3.1.2 Commerce and Manufacturing
Summary
The commerce and manufacturing sector contributes close to 24.5 percent of Fiji’s GDP. Damage from TC Winston to
buildings and production capability has and will continue to affect the sector through increased costs and reduced activity.
Total damage is estimated at F$72.9 million and economic losses are estimated at F$69.9 million, with total effects of
F$142.8 million. The majority of the damage and losses were incurred in the Western Division, largely attributed to sugar
manufacturing and associated damage and losses. The private sector accounted for around 51 percent of total effects.
The cost of the recovery and reconstruction needs are estimated at F$61.3 million and considerable support to avoid a
prolonged reduction in the country’s production capacity is required. Reconstruction and recovery will need to rely on a
combination of subsidised loans, commercial finance, insurance, grants, private savings and exemptions. The weight given
to the respective instruments and their detailed design will be decided upon following further assessment. Development
partner support will be necessary, and the financial and insurance sectors must play a proactive role by, for example,
processing insurance claims and loan applications in a timely manner.
Table 25: Total Damage and Losses in the Commerce and Manufacturing Sector (F$ million)
Damage Losses Total Effects
Commerce 2.5 8.0 10.5
Manufacturing 70.4 61.9 132.3
Total 72.9 69.9 142.8
Source: Estimations by Assessment Team.
Commerce and Manufacturing Sector Background
As mentioned, commerce and manufacturing accounted for 24.5 percent of GDP in 2014 (F$1,747.5 million). Contributions
by subsector are reported in Table 26.
The manufacturing subsector is a major component of the economy, contributing around 13.2 percent of GDP in 2014. 57
The manufacturing subsector in Fiji includes components of food and beverage manufacturing and other manufacturing
activities, ranging from cigarettes, apparel, footwear, paper products, plastic and rubber products, furniture, basic metals,
coachworks, concrete products, and timber and wood products.
Total employment generated from manufacturing was around 25,000 people in 2012, with women making up 33 percent
of the workers. 58 Around 56 percent of the female workers are employed in the textile, clothing and footwear industries.
The commerce subsector contributed 11.3 percent of GDP in 2014. Commerce includes vehicle trade, supermarkets,
textile and clothes traders, hardware traders, book traders, fuel and oil traders, and product distributors. The subsector
is primarily driven by the sale of motor vehicles and parts, fuel wholesale, hardware, and clothing and textiles. Investment
in the commerce subsector stood at F$59.1 million in 2012, 59 during which the sector employed approximately 25,000
people of which 34 percent were female. Fifty-five percent of female workers were employed in the retail sector, in particular
household equipment in specialised stores.
56
Estimate does not include insurance claims, which were not processed at the time of assessment.
57
2014 FBOS provisional GDP statistical release (2011 Base). Figures used are nominal GDP estimates.
58
FBOS Manufacturing sector survey, 2012.
59
FBOS Wholesale and retail survey, 2012.
Tropical Cyclone Winston, February 20, 2016
53