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 Minister for Fisheries and Forestry Alitia Bainivalu has clarified concerns from landowners about the distribution of profits from pine sales, amid claims that companies benefit more than landowners.

Ms Bainivalu said the Fiji Pine Trust is the official platform for landowners to address grievances related to the sale of their pines.

“This is the platform where they go to address their grievances or anything to do with the sale of their pines,” she said.

She explained that since last year, the Fiji Pine Group of Companies directed dividends, traditionally paid directly to landowners, to the Fiji Pine Trust.

The trust’s owners, chairperson, and members are responsible for monitoring the distribution of these dividends and determining how landowners receive and use them.

Ms Bainivalu said any issues or confusion regarding landowners should first be addressed through the Fiji Pine Trust, though her office may intervene if matters are not resolved.

“We try to work with the Fiji Pine Trust to reach a solution that benefits all parties involved,” she said, emphasising that the trust remains the key avenue for landowners to ensure fair distribution of dividends.

Tevita Raiova, a pine landowner from Mataqali Naita in Lekutu, Bua, said when the Fiji Pine Group of Companies makes a profit, a portion is returned to landowners as dividends.

He explained that the Fiji Pine Trust manages landowners’ shares, which are small compared to state holdings.

“The share of the landowner is 0.02 per cent while 99.8 per cent belongs to the state. The Fiji Pine Trust holds the 0.02 per cent on behalf of the landowner. This portion is enough for me,” he said.

Messages sent to Fiji Pines Limited for clarification were unsuccessful.

https://fijisun.com.fj/news/nation/minister-fiji-pine-trust-key-for-landowners-dividends

Fiji Sun : Friday 06 March 2026 

 Fiji Pine Trust is calling for a bigger share in Fiji Pine Ltd.

It says landowners are still carrying the cost of forests lost during the 1987 coup.

The Trust stated that many families worked for years to rebuild the pine industry after large areas were damaged.

It says those losses were never fully recognised.

Increasing the Trust’s shareholding, it said would be a fair way to address what landowners went through.

The State owns 99.8 per cent of Fiji Pine Ltd while the Trust holds 0.02 per cent.

According to the spokesperson, landowners carried the industry after 1987. They rebuilt plantations through the 1990s while receiving little return.

They say dividend payments only started this year, even though the company is now making strong profits.

Many landowners, they say still struggle.

The spokesperson said they were three years old during the coup. They later learned how that period separated families and disrupted livelihoods.

They say they have forgiven the Prime Minister for his role in 1987.

But they believe pine landowners still need compensation for the damage and missed opportunities that shaped their lives.

The Trust says landowners see themselves as stewards of the forests.

They want a stronger future for the next generation.

A bigger share in Fiji Pine Ltd, they said would recognise the sacrifices made by their fathers and secure long-term stability for landowning groups.

https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/pine-landowners-demand-bigger-slice-of-the-profits/

FBC News : December 1, 2025

 FIJI Pine Ltd (FPL) has for the first time transferred a dividend payment of $5million to the Fiji Pine Trust.

In a statement this week, the company said it represented a new approach to managing benefits, promoting greater transparency, fairness and a community-centered distribution across all landowning groups.

“For the first time, dividends are being directly distributed to the Fiji Pine Trust instead of individual landowners,” Fiji Pine board chairman Ratu Rakuita Vakalalabure said.

He said Fiji Pine Trust will distribute the money after consultations with beneficiaries and after they have a distribution system in place.

“On LSBPs (Lease Security Bonus Payments) from previous years that we manage, that will continue to be distributed by FPL until all funds are dispersed,” Mr Vakalalabure said.

Pine land landowners derive a range of monetary benefits from the company, including 12 per cent of net revenue (revenue less direct cost of logging, cartage and roading) from all logging operations, a levy of 5.5 per cent VEP on every roading and logging operation carried out on FPL lease areas, lease premium of $20 premium per hectare and $14 rental per hectare and a seven per cent stumpage to landowners for fuelwood extracted from FPL lease area.

The dividend cheque handover took place at the TLTB Boardroom in Suva.

https://www.fijitimes.com.fj/5m-pine-dividend-paid-to-landowners/

The Fiji Times: November 29, 2025 

 The newly appointed Fiji Pine Trust Board has pledged to prioritise the welfare of landowners.

They said they would do this while driving strategic investment and sustainable growth for future generations.

Chair and Nabou Trustee Semi Degei leads the board, supported by Ratu Kitione Tuinaosara, a Bua Trustee and Josua Nayasi, a Ra Trustee.

“We are in this position because landowners voted us in, believing that we will see their best interests represented. We are not answerable to the government or the company; we are answerable to the landowners that voted for us.”

Degei highlights a key challenge and that is hile land size remains fixed, the number of clan members grows each year.

This means lease returns must be shared among more beneficiaries, shrinking individual shares.

To address this, the board aims to diversify investments beyond traditional land leases. The goal is to secure higher and more sustainable returns for beneficiaries.

A top priority is developing a strong governance and strategic plan for the next three years.

This plan will maximise benefits for landowners and support the growth of their mataqali and tribes, creating opportunities for future generations.

https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/board-eyes-bigger-returns-for-landowners/

FBC News: June 24, 2025 

 Pine landowners from all over Fiji shared a $6m bonus marking a historic boost to the pine industry.

Since its inception in 2013, the lease security bonus payment has acted as an annual dividend for landowners based on the industry’s performance, with a payment of $42.5m to the landowners.

“This year, we are excited to distribute the Lease Security Bonus Payment (LSBP) to honour our valued relationship and recognise our resource owners who continue to lease their land with FPL (Fiji Pine Limited),” said Minister for Fisheries and Forestry Alitia Bainivalu.

Ms Bainivalu, who handed out individual cheques, said the payout was a testament to Fiji Pine Limited’s commitment to landowners.

A total of 22 different Yavusas (tribes) and the Fiji Pine Trust received payments at the Fiji Pine headquarters in Drasa Sawmill Complex Lautoka yesterday.

Ms Bainivalu also said this would be the final Lease Security Bonus Payment (LSBP) cheque presentation ceremony.

Beginning in 2025, Fiji Pine Limited would transition to distributing dividends directly to the accounts of its stakeholders, specifically the landowners, based on the industry’s performance.

“The revenue earned from the pine industry, primarily from log sales to our subsidiaries, supports our landowners and the local economy. This commitment ensures a sustainable future for our industry and the communities we serve,” said Ms Bainivalu.

“The pine industry continues to provide tangible benefits to landowners in various forms, from lease premiums paid at the time of land leasing to annual lease rentals provided bi-annually, stumpage payments upon forest harvesting, and through the Landowner Community Development Fund, which supports landowner-based community projects.”

Fiji Pine Limited Chairman, Ratu Rakuita Vakalalabure said the sector continued to directly and indirectly support about 25,000 landowners in 422 landowning units.

“And apart from that, activities in the mining sector also support about 500 staff in this organisation; and over 15 companies that are contractors providing services such as logging, carters, heavy machinery, and barge,” Ratu Rakuita said.

Nasolo’s investment, business plans 

Yavusa Nasolo landowners had already planned out where and how the funds they received would be used.

“We have projects lined up, schools that need better infrastructure, but our main priority are the university students in our Yavusa who need the money for school,” said Mereoni Kulu, who is the daughter of the Turaga Ni Yavusa Nasolo.

She said they would be investing in university students, which would further the developments in their villages.

The two different mataqalis of Yavusa Nasolo are also planning to set up poultry farms and other small businesses after receiving a payout of $151,677.03, with other pine landowners from around Fiji.

Village canteens and baking businesses are in the plans which have been requested by the members of the different tribes. The rest of the funds are to be shared amongst the members.

Empowering single mothers and women of the tribes have also been prioritised.

“We can now organise small workshops for the women in our village; they will be taught how to upskill their talents and these women also need assistance with their small businesses that they are planning to set up,” Ms Kulu said.

https://fijisun.com.fj/news/business/6m-for-pine-landowners

Fiji Sun: 31 October 2024