1. National Sustainable Development Plan Indicators (NSDP)

Total value of imports targeted by Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) as those that can be produced domestically is VT 17 million (ENV 1.3.1). The products imported included Potatoes (VT 14 million), Carrots and Turnips (VT 2 million), while Onions and Shallots and Oranges recorded less than a million vatu. (Refer to Table 16)

The total value of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) agreement is VT 320 million (ECO 1.5.2). This Trade-by-Trade agreement included total exports of VT 66 million and total imports of VT 254 million. (Refer to Table 11). The Balance of Trade by Major Partner Countries is VT -4,538 million (ECO 1.5.3). (Refer to Table 8)

Level of production of major commodities is VT 191 million (ECO 1.7.1). The major commodities included; Cocoa (VT 24 million), Coconut Oil (VT 16 million), Coffee (VT 5 million), Copra (VT 39 million), Kava (VT 108 million). The ratio of processed export commodities including coconut, kava, cocoa, and coffee to raw exports is 2 (ECO 4.3.2). Total value of processed exports is VT 117 million and total value of raw exports is VT 74 million. (Refer to Table 6) 

2. Trade Balance by Major Partner Countries

Balance of trade by major partner countries is VT -4,538 million. The main countries that account for this Balance are: Singapore (VT -1,193 million), China (VT -728 million), Australia (VT -575 million), Japan (VT -458 million) and Fiji (VT -379 million). These countries represent 73 per cent of the total Balance by Major Partner Countries (VT -3,333 million). (Refer to Table 8)

Major imports from Singapore were Mineral Products (VT 1,164 million); and Prepared Foodstuffs, Beverages, Alcohol, and Tobacco (VT 19 million). Major imports from China were Base Metals and articles thereof (VT 208 million), and Machinery & Electrical Appliances (VT 170 million). Major imports from Australia were Machinery & Electrical Appliances (VT 128 million), and Prepared Foodstuffs, Beverages, Alcohol, and Tobacco (VT 125 million). Major imports from Japan were Vehicles and Transport Equipment (VT 351 million); and Base Metals and articles thereof (VT 90 million). Major imports from Fiji were Vehicles and Transport Equipment (VT 128 million), and Prepared Foodstuffs, Beverages, Alcohol, and Tobacco (VT 124 million). 

3. Trade Balance of Pacific Islands (excluding Melanesian Islands, Australia and  New Zealand)

Total Trade Balance of Pacific Islands excluding Melanesia, Australia and New Zealand is VT 2 million. This was driven by exports of personal effects to Wallis and Futuna (VT 1 million), Pharmaceuticals to Samoa (VT 0.3 million), kava samples to Kiribati (VT 0.1 million) and imports of Medicaments from French Polynesia (VT 3 million).

4. Trade by Trade Agreement- Melanesian Spearhead Group

The major imports from Fiji are Bread, Pastry and Biscuits (VT 39 million), and Pasta, (Cooked or stuffed) (VT 37 million) and Wheat Flour (VT 33 million. The major imports from Papua New Guinea is Prepared or Preserved Fish (VT 10 million), and from the Solomon Islands is also Prepared or Preserved Fish (VT 23 million). The major export to Fiji is Kava (VT 34 million), to Solomon Islands is Prepared or Preserved Fish (VT 23 million).

5. Principle Exports

The level of production of the top five Major Principal Exports is VT 191 million. The Principal Exports identified included, Cocoa (VT 24 million), Coconut Oil (VT 16 million), Copra (VT 39 million), and Kava (VT 108 million). (Refer to Table 6)

The Main country of destination for Cocoa is India (VT 24 million). The major country of destination for Coconut Oil is Malaysia (VT 10 million). The major country of destination for Copra is Philippines (VT 39 million). Kava is exported mainly to China (VT 37 million), Fiji (VT 34 million), New Caledonia (VT 13 million) and Australia (VT 13 million). 

6. Top 5 New Major Exports

Total value of Dried Sea Cucumber is VT 53 million, Documents VT 24 million, Caterpillar Roller is VT 13 million, Scrap Metal is VT 10 million, and Tuna Yellowfin is VT 9 million.

7. Principle Imports

Total value of top five Principal imports is VT 1,794 million. The Principal Imports included Alcoholic Drinks (VT 93 million), Articles of Iron and Steel (VT 254 million), Medicaments (VT 73 million), Petroleum Oils (VT 1,225 million), and Rice (VT 150 million). (Refer to Table 7)

The main country of origin for Alcoholic Drinks is Australia (VT 38 million). The main country of origin for Articles of Iron and Steel is China (VT 136 million), and Medicaments is Australia (VT 22 million). The main country of origin for Petroleum Oils is Singapore (VT 1,163 million), and Rice is Vietnam (VT 102 million).

8. Top 5 New Major Imports

Total value of Boats VT 58 million, Grinding Machine VT 54 million, Donut Buoys VT 39 million, Tooling, Aircraft VT 31 million, and Concrete Mixer VT 29 million.

9. Imports of Dietary Risk Factors for Noncommunicable Diseases

Total value of Bakery Products is VT 63 million and are mainly imported from Fiji (VT 39 million). Total value of Confectionary is VT 22 million and are mainly imported from Fiji (VT 4 million). Total value of Cordial is VT 26 million and are mainly imported from Australia (VT 9 million). Total value of Noodles is VT 1 million and are mainly imported from Australia (VT 0.4 million). Total value of Processed Meats is VT 29 million and are mainly imported from Australia (VT 17 million). (Refer to Table 17)

10. Imports of food and products targeted as those that can be produced  domestically

Total value of Chicken is VT 53 million and are mainly imported from Australia (VT 39 million). Total value of Canned Tunas is VT 45 million and are mainly imported from Solomon Islands (VT 23 million). Total value of Canned Mackerel is VT 7 million and are mainly imported from China (VT 7 million). Total value of Chicken Eggs VT 14 million and are mainly imported from Fiji (VT 14 million).

Table Downloads

Vanuatu IMTS Release Tables_May_2024.xlsx

Download the IMTS May 2024 Provisional Highlights (PDF)

The format content in these monthly provisional highlights is as below: 

1. National Sustainability Development Plan (NSDP Indicators: The NSDP serves as the Country’s highest level policy framework. The indicators provide a system to monitor progress. To report on trade related NSDP indicators, some adaptions has been made. This include ENV E.3.1 report value, not volume ECO 1.5.2 and ECO 1/6/2 reporting on Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) agreement, ECO 1.7.1 reporting on level of export production of major commodities.
2. Trade Balance of Major Partner Countries: Balance of Trade is the value of a country’s exports and the value of a country’s imports for a given period. The Major Partner Countries are: Australia, China, Fiji, France, Hongkong, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Thailand, United Kingdom and United States of America.
3. Trade Balance of Pacific Islands, excluding Melanesian Islands, Australia and New Zealand: The Pacific Islands included are: American Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Federated States of Micronesia, Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, French Polynesia, Tuvalu and Wallis and Futuna.
4. Trade by Trade Agreement - Melanesian Spearhead Group: The Melanesian Free Trade Agreement (MFTA) aims to achieve regional integration of economics in the MSG. It comprises four (4) Countries namely, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
5. Major Principal Exports: Major Exports are commodities that account for the majority of the total export value. The commodity group focus is Beef, Cocoa, Coconut Oil, Copra and Kava. Focus is a time series analysis of current monthly exports from 2018 to 2023.
6. Top 5 New Major Exports:  The traditional VNSO tables report on 13 major commodities. The rest of the commodities are grouped as “other products”. This investigates the main commodities within “other products”.
7. Major Principal Imports: Major imports are commodities that account for the majority of the total import value. The commodity group focus is Alcoholic drinks, Articles of Iron and Steel, Medicaments, Petroleum oils and /Rice. Focus is a timeseries analysis of current monthly imports from 2018-2023.
8. Top 5 New Major Imports:  The Traditional VNSO tables report on 47 major import commodities. The rest of the commodities are grouped as “other Imports”. This investigates the main commodities within “other imports”.
9. Imports of Dietary Risk Factors for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD):  The Pacific has a growing reputation as having one of the world’s highest NCD rates. These major NCD, is share for behavioural risk factors; tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and harmful use of alcohol. This investigates some of the dietary risk factors including Bakery Products, Canned Meats, Confectionary, Cordial and Noodles.
10. Imports of Food and Products Targeted as those that can be Potentially Produced Domestically: Import substitution is the idea that; blocking imports of manufactured goods can help an economy by increasing the demand for domestically produced goods. The imports of foods and products targeted include: Canned Mackerel, Canned Tunas, Chicken and Chicken eggs.