Vanuatu records strongest export performance in Pacific

September 15, 2026 10:57 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

Vanuatu has recorded the strongest export performance among Pacific countries surveyed, with exporters reporting rapid revenue growth and the highest confidence in future growth despite major logistics and weather challenges.

The findings are contained in the Vanuatu Spotlight of the Pacific Islands Export Survey 2026, produced by the Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Network.

The country-specific report examines the performance, market priorities and challenges facing Vanuatu exporters, alongside wider regional export trends.

PTI Australia Trade Commissioner Tim Martin said Vanuatu’s export sector was performing strongly and remained focused on international markets.

“Vanuatu exporters are leading the region when it comes to growth, reporting increased revenue at a rate of over double the Pacific average during the last twelve months,” Martin said.

He said exporters also had the strongest confidence in future growth among countries covered by the survey.

“However, the current logistics constraints being experienced by Vanuatu exporters are a concern,” Martin said.

“Addressing this will be important for businesses to continue competing, especially throughout international markets.”

Logistics and supply chain barriers were identified as the biggest challenges for Vanuatu exporters, followed by high operating costs and access to finance.

The findings differ from the broader Pacific trend, where logistics ranks lower among exporters’ concerns.

Extreme weather is another major challenge, with more than three quarters of Vanuatu exporters reporting impacts over the past year, the highest proportion recorded among countries in the survey.

The report points to Vanuatu’s location in an active cyclone corridor, as well as the impact of the 2024 earthquake, as factors affecting the business environment.

Despite these challenges, Vanuatu exporters have a strong international focus, with 43 per cent generating more than three quarters of their income from international sales. This was the highest rate recorded in the survey.

Vanuatu Ministry of Trade and Commerce (MOTC) Director General (DG) Noah Patrick Kouback said the findings showed the strength of local businesses and their ability to compete internationally.

“Trade is the engine of our economy and the pride of our people. Vanuatu recorded the strongest export performance to other countries in this survey, with more of our businesses growing their revenue, and more expecting further growth, than anywhere else in the Pacific,” DG Kouback said.

He said Vanuatu exporters were also among the fastest in the Pacific to adopt new technology and were using existing regional trade agreements at rates above the regional average.

“Vanuatu’s exporters have shown they can compete with the best,” Kouback said.

Australia remains Vanuatu’s largest export market, followed by New Zealand and France.

France accounts for more than twice the Pacific average share of international exports from Vanuatu, reflecting the country’s historical commercial ties.

The United States is the leading new market being targeted by Vanuatu exporters over the next three years, reflecting a wider Pacific trend towards diversifying export markets.

Digital business is also expanding, with 84 per cent of Vanuatu exporters generating revenue online, primarily through social media.

Nearly half of exporters use artificial intelligence tools, above the Pacific average of 38 per cent, while almost three quarters expect AI to improve their financial performance over the next three years.

The survey presents a picture of an export sector that is increasingly international, digitally connected and resilient, while facing continuing pressure from transport, supply chain and weather-related challenges.

The Vanuatu Spotlight forms part of PTI’s Pacific Islands Export Survey 2026 series, which also includes reports covering tourism, agriculture and manufacturing, as well as country-specific reports for Vanuatu and Fiji.

The reports are intended to provide more targeted market and sector information to support investment, policy and business decisions across the Pacific.