‘E-commerce trade maturing’
FIJI’s e-commerce sector is currently in an emergence state of maturity, says deputy Prime Minister and Cooperate and Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Minister Manoa Kamikamica.
While speaking in Parliament this week on Fiji’s National E-Commerce Strategy, he said the tourism industry has been at the forefront of e-commerce adoption in Fiji, along with the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry.
“One of the positives, I think, is that Fiji’s ecommerce sector is currently in an emergence state of maturity or is really maturing with various sectors showcasing growth trajectories,” Mr Kamikamica said.
“The tourism industry has been at the forefront of e-commerce adoption in Fiji. The business process outsourcing industry is another success story for Fiji, contributing signi cantly to the economy and offering employment and thousands of employment opportunities for Fijians.
“As someone who was involved in the setup of the industry whilst I was outside Government, it is pleasing to see the progress that has been made.”
Mr Kamikamica said in the domestic market, sectors such as food delivery, groceries, electronics, tools, and furniture are experiencing signi cant e-commerce activity, driven by the consumer demand for convenience and variety.
“Cross border e-commerce activity is also present, particularly in export agricultural markets, like kava. Some of you might be aware that people can actually order Lami kava from Fiji. It gets on a plane through DHL and arrives on the other side of the world.
“Ginger and turmeric are other examples. Fiji has made strides in exporting these products to markets such as the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and United Arab Emirates, with opportunities for further value addition.
“Rising Beyond the Reef products are now available on Amazon — the world’s fastest growing online shopping site.”
Mr Kamikamica said that apart from agricultural products, and the likes, the international e-commerce platforms are also facilitating the promotion of wellness, beauty care products and unique Fijian crafts to global markets.