Market Brief on Mauritius August 2016 Location Facts and Figures Total Population 1,29 million (2015) Area Time Zone Capital City International Telephone Code Currency 2,040 sq. km +4 hrs GMT Port Louis +230 Mauritius Rupee (MUR) Exchange Rate 1.00 USD = 35.5997 MUR (March 2016) GDP GDP per capita US$ 9.844 Billion US$7,623 It is an Island in the Indian Ocean, 2 400km from the South East Coast of Africa and 900km East of Madagascar and 3200km from South East coast of India. Cities and Population City Population Port Louis 155,226 Beau Bassin 111,355 Vacoas 110,000 Curepipe 84,200 Quatre Bornes 80,961 Triolet 23,269 Goodlands 20,910 Centre de Flacq 17,710 Bel Air Rivière Sèche 17,671 Mahébourg 17,042 GDP Growth Rate 3.3 % Ease of Doing Business (World Bank 2015) 32 out of 189 (2015) Inflation Rate 6.5 % (Jan 2016)) Official English; French Language(s) Languages Mauritian Creole, Bhojpuri, Tamil, and Urdu Business Hours 0800 hrs-1700 hrs Lunch 1300-1400 hrs Banking Hours 0900-1530 hrs (weekdays) 0830-1200 (Sat) Literacy Rate 84. Measures Metric System Important International Participation UN, AU, SADC, EAC, WTO
Na US$ Billion Mauritius Trade with the World 6.0 5.5 5.0 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Exports 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.7 2.5 Imports 5.2 5.8 5.4 5.6 4.5 Major import sources of Mauritius (2015) Major export destinations of Mauritius (2015) 3 18% 21% 1 1 18% 9% 1 China India France South Africa Viet Nam Spain Australia Japan Germany UK United Kingdom France South Africa Italy Viet Nam United Arab Emirates United States of America Madagascar Spain Netherlands
US$'000 Major import products of Mauritius (2015) Major export products of Mauritius (2015) 19% 19% 1 1% 38% 1 10% 1 1 Mineral fuels Electrical, electronic equipment Machinery Fish & aquatic invertebrates Vehicles Cotton Pearls & precious stones Plastics and articles thereof Cereals Dairy products Articles of apparel, accessories, knit or crochet Articles of apparel, accessories, not knit or crochet Electrical, electronic equipment Meat, fish and sea food food preparations nes Sugars and sugar confectionery Pearls & precious stones Fish Cotton Knitted or crocheted fabric Medical apparatus Zimbabwe-Mauritius Trade (US$ 000) 12,000 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 - (2,000) (4,000) (6,000) 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Exports 10,053 7,938 7,767 287 2,104 Imports 2,677 3,172 2,877 4,228 4,543 Trade Balance 7,376 4,766 4,890 (3,941) (2,439)
Zimbabwe s major exports to Mauritius (2014) Product Label Zimbabwe exports to Mauritius in 2014, (US$ 000) Annual growth in value between 2010-2014, %, p.a. Mauritius Import from the world in 2014, (US$ 000) Cotton, not carded or combed 1,851-70 43,111 T-shirts, singlets and other vests, knitted 109 2,814 or crocheted Goat/kid skin leather 80 61 80 Leather 39-2 5,587 Meat and edible meat offal 6-21 21 Zimbabwe products with export potential to Mauritius Zimbabwe's imports from Mauritius (2015) Pharmaceuticals Fish Machinery parts Cement Sugar Cane Worn clothing and articles Fabrics Meat Sanitary Plastic packing goods Packing containers, of paper, paperboard, cellulose wadding, webs Structures (rods, angle, plates) of iron & steel Building and Construction materials Construction machinery Agricultural Equipment and Supplies Articles of iron or steel Footwear Furniture Processed Foods e.g. super milk, yeast, cream, wine, cordials and chocolates, tinned meats Edible fruit, nuts, peel of citrus fruit, melons 9% 1% Pasta & couscous 1 T-shirts, singlets and other vests, knitted or crocheted Soap & preparations for soap use Babies' garments, knitted or crocheted Animal feed preparations Printed books Pile fabrics Men's shirts, knitted or crocheted Men's suits, jackets, trousers & shorts Label,badge & sim art of textiles 3 Useful Addresses Preferential Trade Arrangements
Mauritius Export Promotion Board Enterprise Mauritius 7 th Floor, St James Court St Denis Street, Port-Louis Republic of Mauritius Tel: +230 2129760 Fax: +230 2129767 Email: info@em.intnet.mu Web: www.enterprisemauritius.biz Mauritius Export Development & Investment Authority (MEDIA) Trade Information Centre, BAI Building 25 Pope Henness Street Port Louis P.O. Box 1184 Tel: +230 2087750; 2125965 Fax: +230 2085965 Email: media@intnet.mu Mauritius Export Association (MEXA) Tel: +230 208 5216/ 211 1476/ 208 0087 Fax: +230 212 1853 Email: info@mexa.mu Mauritius Standards Bureau Tel: +230 433 3648 Fax: +230 433 5051 Email: msb@intnet.mu Website: www.msb.intnet.mu Exporters can utilise the Mauritius Trade Easy Portal: http://www.mauritiustrade.mu COMESA Free Trade Area The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) is a regional integration grouping of African States which have agreed to promote regional integration through trade development and to develop their natural and human resources for the mutual benefit of all their peoples. COMESA Member States established a Free Trade Area (FTA) on 31 October 2000. Fourteen States (Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, Sudan, Seychelles, Zambia and Zimbabwe) are participating in the Free Trade Area. COMESA Simplified Trade Regime COMESA implemented Simplified Trade Regime (STR) to help the small trader to benefit from the preferential rates enjoyed by commercial traders when importing or exporting goods within the COMESA Bloc. The regime is operational between Zimbabwe and Zambia, and Zimbabwe and Malawi. The maximum value of goods traded under STR is US$1 000. STR is used for goods that have been grown or wholly produced in the COMESA Region. The trader will complete a simplified customs document (declaration form) and a simplified COMESA certificate of origin. These documents are filled in at the border post by the trader and certified by a customs official. Goods to be exported should comply with the normal food safety, plant and animal health regulations including environmental protection. Import or export permits needed to import or export certain agricultural foods and animal products are still required. SADC Trade Protocol Zimbabwe and Zambia are both members of the SADC Protocol. The Protocol is an agreement between SADC Member States to reduce customs duties and other barriers to trade on products from each other. By January 1, 2008, most customs duties (on 8 of tariff lines) had been eliminated for goods originating from SADC Member States. For more information on trading under COMESA FTA, COMESA STR and SADC Trade Protocol refer to ZimTrade s Guide to Zimbabwe s Trade Agreements.