Economy

Fiji's fertile soil yields sugarcane, tropical fruits, taro, cotton, pineapples, bananas, wood, and coconuts. Sugar, whose processing accounts for a third of Fiji's industrial production, is the main export. The industry has suffered since the late 1990s because of low world prices, drought, and inefficiencies, and the government is seeking to diversify the island's commercial agriculture. Tourism is now the major industry, but remittances from Fijians abroad are an even greater source of foreign income. In addition to sugar, gold, silver, clothing, copra, and processed fish are exported. The European Union nations and Australia receive most of its exports. Limestone quarrying is also important. Imports, principally from Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, consist largely of foodstuffs, manufactures, and machinery.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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