Economy
Noni plantation to expand
9 August 2011Niue’s 60-hectare organic noni farm is being doubled in size in response to interest shown by Chinese investors. In mid-2011 a group of Chinese businesspeople from New Zealand made arrangements to take large quantities of noni juice from Niue, the Cook Islands and Samoa. The Vaiea farm, a joint venture between the Reef Group and … Read more …
Where the buck stops
5 November 2010The Government of Niue is the main employer on Niue. Its 400 employees make up about one-third of the island’s population and at least half of all working age adults. The government has a number of trading arms – including the Alofi port, a bond store, Niue Telecom, a public works department and a power … Read more …
Fragile economy
5 November 2010The economic challenges experienced by Niue are common to other small island states within the Pacific. Geographic isolation, shortages of skilled professionals and entrepreneurial expertise, limited natural resources, poor soil quality and a small population hamper the development of an independent economy. Cyclones occasionally devastate the island’s infrastructure, including housing and tourist facilities. Eco-tourism and … Read more …
Breaking the dependence on aid
5 November 2010Niue’s economic base is foreign aid, with more than 80 percent of employed adults working for wages for the government. Per capita aid at more than NZ$20,000 a head is among the highest in the world. The New Zealand and Niue Governments are eager to build the local economy to make it more self-sufficient. In … Read more …
