Ministry of Forestry Takes Major Steps to Revive Sandalwood Industry
The Minister for Fisheries and Forestry, Honourable Alitia Bainivalu spoke in Parliament yesterday about the progress being made to revive Fiji's sandalwood industry. She shared how important sandalwood has been in Fiji’s history and the steps being taken to ensure its future.
Minister Bainivalu reminded everyone that sandalwood, especially the native species, played a big role in Fiji’s trade during the 18th and 19th centuries. However, due to over-harvesting and lack of replanting, the resource almost disappeared.
"Because we didn't manage sandalwood harvesting properly and there was such a strong demand for it, much of our natural sandalwood was lost. This created serious concerns about whether the species would survive," Hon. Bainivalu said.
She mentioned that between 2010 and 2022, Fiji exported 154,172 kilograms of sandalwood earning $12.3 million FJD. Despite some price changes, the overall demand remained strong especially from countries like Dubai, Hong Kong, China, Australia and Taiwan.
To make sure sandalwood continues to grow in Fiji, the Ministry of Forestry has been putting a lot of effort into research and planting. The Government has also invested FJD$1 million over the past decade to support sandalwood projects and create a sustainable industry.
"People have become more interested in planting sandalwood over the last ten years because of its high value and good prospects for the future," Hon. Bainivalu said.
The honourable minister said that over 132 hectares of sandalwood have been planted with more than 58,000 trees growing across Fiji. She added that in the next five years, these efforts are expected to produce around 106,000 kilograms of sandalwood, worth about FJD$10 million.
Last year, FJD$0.1 million was spent on the Sandalwood Development Project.
“This money was used to have consultations with sandalwood growers across Fiji’s three main divisions; Central, Western and Northern and to help set up the Sandalwood Growers Association. This group will work to protect farmers and encourage good planting practices,” Hon. Bainivalu said.
Minister Bainivalu also announced that Fiji has partnered with the Asia Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation (APFNet).
“This project, called "Promoting the Sustainable Production of Sandalwood in Fiji" has received a grant of around USD$0.9 million to be used over the next three years,”
"The goal of this project is to expand our sandalwood resources and support rural communities in Fiji by promoting better ways to plant and manage sandalwood," Minister Bainivalu said.
The project plans to build a large nursery, plant 60 hectares of sandalwood and provide training to those involved.
Furthermore, Minister Bainivalu expressed confidence in the future of Fiji's sandalwood industry.
"With the right policies and regulations in place, we are sure that we won’t repeat the mistakes of the past which almost caused our sandalwood to disappear," she said.
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