Kamikamica Takes Steps Amid Tariffs: Urges Calm

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Manoa Kamikamica DPM has called the 32% tariff recently imposed on Fijian exports to the United States excessively high and harmful to local businesses.

Despite this, he urged the public to remain calm, stating it was “too early to panic” over the situation. Kamikamica emphasized that the government is taking immediate steps to address the issue.

The tariff, introduced as part of the U.S.'s reciprocal trade policy, has been met with increasing concern from Fijian exporters, especially given the significant impact it could have on industries reliant on the U.S. market.

Kamikamica highlighted that the U.S. has calculated Fijian tariffs on U.S. goods at 63%, a figure that has perplexed local trade officials, who dispute the accuracy of this assessment.

In response to the tariff and the issues surrounding it, Kamikamica said he would seek a meeting with the U.S. Ambassador to better understand the rationale behind the tariff and explore possible solutions.

"We are starting to receive a lot of emails from concerned exporters, and we will certainly do all that we can to address the situation.

These tariffs are excessive and need to be reviewed," Kamikamica said.

Kamikamica’s remarks come as part of the government's ongoing efforts to engage with U.S. officials to open channels for further talks.

He has made it clear that this matter is a priority for the government, noting that Fijian businesses, especially those in water production, rely heavily on the U.S. market.

However, he remains hopeful that through diplomatic engagement, the government can reduce the tariff rate.

“We will work to understand the logic and find out if there’s room to reduce the tariffs,” Kamikamica said, emphasizing that Fiji’s tariff rates are much higher than those of many larger countries and Pacific neighbors, which have tariffs around 10%.

While acknowledging the seriousness of the situation, Kamikamica urged the public not to jump to conclusions.

"Rather than panic, we need to allow our Government to do what governments do, which is to sit down and talk to our partners. The U.S. is a friend of Fiji, and we will work to resolve this,” he said.

Kamikamica also addressed concerns about Fiji considering alternative markets but pointed out that the U.S. remains one of the biggest markets for some of the country’s key exports.

While the situation could have an impact, Kamikamica reiterated that it is still too early to be overly concerned, and the government would continue working on a solution.

The government’s discussions with U.S. officials are part of ongoing efforts to ensure a fair trade agreement for Fijian businesses and to maintain strong economic relations with the U.S., a key trading partner for the country.