Singapore became Fiji's main source of imports ahead of Australia, New Zealand and the United States last year, according to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The Minister said Fiji exported more to the US than it imported from there - a trend that was barely applicable to most of Fiji's other trading partners.
The comment was made after the Government was criticised for introducing a Bill to amend the Value Added Tax Decree to exempt chanceries built in Fiji from VAT, including a proposed F$60 million American Embassy complex at Princes Road in Suva.
"We have a trade surplus with the US. Trade figures for 2004 and 2005 showed some decline in our exports because of the expiry of the garment quota, but it was still substantial for 2004 exports to the US at F$184 million. We import from the US only F$102 million so we have a trade surplus for 2005", the Minister said.
The US is ranked 5th among Fiji's import markets. Exports to the US consists of taro, tuna loins, Fiji Water, knitted garments, sugar and molasses, fish, mahogany, cassava, vegetables, coral, noni, vanilla, biscuits and coconut furniture.
Import from Singapore being top of the list of Fiji's imports may also be attributed to the fact that Fiji imports fuel from there.
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