Garments made in Fiji now have improved access to the Australian market with the execution of the Developing Country (DC) Preferences by the Australian Government. Fiyaz Siddiq Koya, Fiji’s Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism said, “The DC Preferences will provide Fijian exports more favourable terms of access into the Australian market than the previous SPARTECA-TFC, allowing for easier and simpler qualification requirements for duty free entry.” Through DC Preferences, Fijian exporters can now source raw materials from more efficient and cost effective sources, outside of Australia and the Pacific Region. “The Fijian TCF exporters, for example, will now be able to procure textiles, including woollen materials, from developing countries such as China, Bangladesh, India, Thailand and Vietnam, and then convert these into finished garments for duty free export into Australia,” Koya averred.
