The Regression of Marine Foods Consumption in Fiji : Changes 2002-03 to 2008-09

Fiji is a group of islands in the South Pacific. As with most developing countries, Fiji's patterns of consumption are becoming globalized, with many nutritious local foods being replaced by modern processed imported foods. This is accompanied by negative impacts on foreign exchange reserves, domestic employment and incomes, and good nutrition. This study examines Fiji's patterns of consumption of marine products and the current changes that may be taking place, by analyzing the data from Fiji's Household Income and Expenditure Surveys for 2002-03 and 2008-09, the first such analysis in the Pacific using national HIES data. The results indicate that marine food consumption is declining as a proportion of total food expenditure, aggregate expenditure on local marine foods is declining in real terms, while that on canned fish (mostly imported) is increasing. Expenditure per capita on fresh fin fish and other marine products comprising of invertebrates, molluscs and seaweeds, is declining in real terms (both in urban and rural areas), while the proportion of the population consuming marine products is declining amongst all ethnic groups. Urban consumption of other marine products remains low, compared to that for rural Fijians. While there is clearly scope for increasing the consumption of marine products for target groups, greater attention needs to be paid to the packaging and presentation of marine products, while marketing infrastructure and ice preservation must be enhanced. The universality of demand for prawns and kai (a freshwater shell fish), amongst both locals and tourists, may suggest that these two products could receive greater attention for aquaculture