Overview
Mauritius is a net food importer, with an overall self-sufficiency ratio of approximately 25 percent. Due to its limited size, the absence of economies of scale, and the comparative advantage of sugarcane in economic terms, Mauritius imports many of its essential food requirements. In 2024, agricultural imports accounted for $1.6 billion, representing 24.4 percent of total Mauritian imports. France was the leading source of Mauritian agricultural imports with a market share of 11 percent, followed by South Africa (10 percent), India (8 percent), Australia (6 percent), New Zealand (5 percent), and Spain (5 percent). Products imported included rice, meat and fish, certain fruits (including oranges, mandarins, and grapes), pulses (grain legumes), milk and dairy products, fresh and frozen vegetables, coffee, tea, and spices, cereals, oil, beverages, wheat, and food preparations. In 2024, Mauritius also imported items to produce animal feed, such as corn, oil cake, and solid residues from soybean oil extraction, mostly from Argentina.
The government planned to reduce the dependency on imported food by promoting local crops and inputs, agro-processing, and smart agriculture. Mauritius has seen notable growth in non-sugar agriculture, with sub-sectoral growth rates of 7.3 percent in 2022 and an estimated 11.8 percent in 2023. Key sub-sectors include food crops, fruits, flowers, livestock, poultry, and derived products. Sugar and prepared or preserved fish dominate exports, accounting for 34 percent and 46 percent of agricultural export value, respectively. Other export products include live animals (primates), beverages (rum, beer, and fruit juices), cut flowers, fruits (pineapples and lychees), and animal feed. Export diversification beyond sugar and processed fish is essential to improve resilience against international commodity price shocks. Opportunities exist to scale production through private investment, improve market linkages, and enhance logistics services to support small-scale producers. The Mauritian government has implemented strategies to promote import substitution, enhance food security, and support sustainable farming practices. These efforts include modernizing agriculture through technology adoption, improving food quality and safety, and embracing green agriculture concepts such as controlled environment farming.
Mauritius’s agricultural sector offers diverse investment opportunities, including controlled environment agriculture (e.g., hydroponics and vertical farming) to mitigate climate impacts and reduce imports, and food processing to minimize post-harvest losses and extend shelf life. Organic farming aligns with growing consumer demand for chemical-free produce, while green biotechnology holds potential to enhance sustainability and food security. Government incentives include tax holidays, Value Added Tax (VAT) exemptions, and air freight refunds for exports to key markets.
Leading Sub-sectors
Include any leading sub-sectors within the sector in which U.S. companies would have the best opportunity of exporting. For example: Energy [Sector] Solar [Sub-sector]
- Wheat
- Crude edible oil
- Corn and soybean residue for animal feed
- Processed foods and inputs for organic farming
- Agricultural processing technologies
- Green biotechnology
Opportunities
Wheat
In 2024, Mauritius imported 154,111 metric tons of unmilled and other wheat valued at $48 million, mainly from France (74 percent) and Australia (16 percent). Mauritius imported 50,000 metric tons of wheat from the United States for the first time in 2007-2008 due to a poor crop in its traditional markets. In 2024, it imported only 646 metric tons from the United States. There may be future opportunities here, but U.S. exporters would need to compete with French and Australian wheat, particularly in terms of quality, price, and freight availability. Les Moulins de la Concorde, the only flour mill in Mauritius, has expressed interest in U.S. wheat, particularly the Hard Red Spring and Hard White varieties.
Crude Edible Oil
Mauritius imports 100 percent of its edible oil requirements. In 2024, Mauritius imported 28,354 metric tons of crude soybean oil, crude sunflower oil, and palm olein, worth $36 million. Crude sunflower oil comprised 50 percent, soybean oil accounted for 38 percent, and palm olein amounted to 12 percent. In 2024, Mauritius imported these edible oils mainly from Argentina and Turkey (soyabean oil), Argentina and Egypt (sunflower oil), and Malaysia (palm oil). There are two refineries for edible oil operating in Mauritius, which supply 90 percent of the market with refined edible oil. The remaining 10 percent is supplied by importers of refined edible oil and sold directly to supermarkets. The local refineries negotiate their purchase with large producers such as COFCO and Dreyfuss on a cash-against-documents basis. To get a share of this market, U.S. suppliers must compete with Argentina, Turkey, Egypt, and Southeast Asian countries, such as Malaysia and Indonesia, on price and freight availability.
Corn/Soybean Residue for Animal Feed
In 2024, Mauritius imported 114,151 metric tons of corn and 62,988 metric tons of oil cake and other solid residues, resulting from the extraction of soybean oil as inputs for its livestock feed factories, mainly from Argentina and Paraguay. One of the two animal feed factories in Mauritius is in the processing of importing from the United States.
Processed Foods and Inputs for Organic Farming
Food habits of Mauritians have been changing over the past few years, with consumers placing more emphasis on quality and food safety. Supermarkets are offering an expanding range of organic products and convenience foods. Furthermore, concerns about pesticides are driving consumers to buy branded bio products. This has led to a sharp increase in imports of processed foods. There are thus opportunities for more U.S. processed food products to enter the market if they can compete with imports from South Africa, China, Malaysia, and Europe. Prospects also exist for procurement of organic farming inputs, given the incentives offered by the Mauritian government to promote bio farming.
Additionally, the agro-business sector benefits from several incentives designed to promote in-country agro-processing activities. Companies can benefit from an 8-year income tax holiday on income from agro-processing. Exemptions from registration duty and land transfer tax apply to land and buildings used for agro-processing, animal breeding, or training. VAT exemptions are available for constructing purpose-built facilities, leasing such buildings to investment certificate holders, and acquiring plant, machinery, and equipment for agro-processing with EDB approval.
Agricultural Technologies
As an upper-middle income economy looking to move into high-tech and value-added activities, Mauritius has potential to tap into opportunities offered by agricultural processing technologies. The government is focused on revamping the agricultural and manufacturing sectors and has identified specialty processed foods and superfoods as potential areas for export growth. In addition, the government aims to promote controlled environment agriculture, including vertical farming, indoor climate-controlled agriculture, and modern seed and fertilizer production techniques, as well as access to artificial intelligence (AI) tools for food producers, particularly small and medium enterprises, to modernize operations and enhance food sovereignty. Strengthening analytical capacity in soil testing and pesticide residue laboratories, and the development of climate-smart water-saving irrigation technologies and mechanization of agricultural operations are also part of the government’s strategic objectives for the sector.
Mauritius’s focus on modernizing its agricultural sector presents significant opportunities for U.S. companies specializing in agricultural processing technologies. U.S. firms can leverage their expertise in advanced machinery, controlled environment agriculture, and climate-smart solutions to support Mauritius’s goals of enhancing food security and export competitiveness. The demand for innovative technologies such as AI-driven tools, precision irrigation systems, and mechanized farming equipment aligns with U.S. strengths in agricultural innovation. Additionally, U.S. companies offering soil testing and pesticide residue analysis technologies can play a key role in strengthening Mauritius’s analytical capacity.
Cotton
In 2024, Mauritius imported 17,108 metric tons of cotton and cotton waste, mainly from Brazil, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Madagascar. Mauritius’s textile industry, a key economic driver, relies on imported cotton for high-quality garment production, creating opportunities for U.S. cotton exports. U.S. cotton’s reputation for quality aligns with Mauritius’s focus on premium products, especially under AGOA trade benefits. Challenges include price sensitivity, competition from traditional suppliers in South America and Africa, and small market size. Opportunities exist in supplying premium and sustainable cotton, offering technical support, and building partnerships with local distributors. U.S. exporters should focus on competitive pricing, market research, and targeted promotion to succeed in this niche market.
Table: Agricultural Products, US$ thousands
| 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 estimated |
Total Exports | 607,586 | 788,643 | 813,998 | 830,000 |
Total Imports | 1,038,506 | 1,480,537 | 1,543,785 | 1,600,000 |
Imports from the US | 5,280 | 6,738 | 9,007 | 12,300 |
Trade Surplus/Deficit | -430,920 | -691,894 | -729,787 | -744,787 |
Exchange Rates | 45.00 | 46.00 | 46.00 | 47.00 |
Units: $ thousands
Source: i) Bank of Mauritius (BoM), ii) Statistics Mauritius, iii) Embassy Estimates
Resources
Mauritian Government
U.S. Government Resources
Mauritius Ag-related businesses and associations
- Mauritius Chamber of Agriculture
- Association of Hotels and Restaurants of Mauritius
U.S business and trade Associations
- U.S. Dairy Export Council
- U.S. Grains Council
- U.S. Meat Export Federation
- USA Poultry and Egg Export Council
- U.S. Soybean Export Council
- U.S. Wheat Associates
- U.S. Wheat Associates
- California Wine Institute
- Food Export-Midwest, Food Export-Northeast, Western U.S. Agricultural Trade Association