Meat to Mauritius

(Last updated: 17 Jul 2007)

Trends and opportunities

The market

By remaining at the forefront of food and safety development issues, Australia has an enviable reputation of being a safe and reliable supplier of beef and lamb products to Mauritius.

The proliferation of animal disease outbreaks, has led Mauritian authorities to maintain import bans, tighten sanitary border control measures, and strengthen domestic regulations for all meat products from Europe and Africa. Consequently, this has strengthened the market for Australian meat suppliers.

However, the relative scarcity of supply and price increases have caused a change in Mauritian eating habits; reviving the consumption of chicken and fish whilst cutting down on their consumption of red meat.

Chicken is the most widely consumed meat on the island and venison also enjoys a fairly strong local market due to the fact that these do not suffer from any religious interdiction and are therefore consumed by all components of the population – 50 per cent of Mauritians being Hindu and Muslim faith do not eat beef or pork.

Mauritius is almost self-sufficient in poultry and venison; this is not the case for other types of meat. For instance, cattle rearing is undertaken on a marginal scale and most beef is imported to meet local demand.

Mauritius imports mainly frozen lamb, beef, mutton and goat. The main categories of meat by volume of imports and the Australian market share were:

• Bovine meat:
  • fresh/chilled – 315 tonnes (53 per cent coming from Australia)
  • frozen – 4351 tonnes (10 per cent)
    
• Lamb:
  • fresh/chilled – 10 tonnes (99 per cent)
  • frozen – 90 tonnes (99 per cent)
    
• Mutton:
  • fresh/chilled – 164 tonnes (79 per cent)
  • frozen – 4094 tonnes (74 per cent)
    
• Goat:
  • fresh/chilled/frozen – 96 tonnes (100 per cent
    
• Meat offal:
  • frozen – 2188 tonnes (81 per cent)

Opportunities

The best opportunities for Australian suppliers are:

• Frozen mutton
• Frozen lamb cuts
• Edible offal
• Beef livers
• Fresh and chilled lamb
• Goat meat

Competitive environment

In Mauritius, local production of mutton, bovine and goat meat is marginal and consumption is mostly satisfied through importation.

Australia supplies approximately 13 per cent of the market for bovine meat (excluding offal).  Australia is the market leader for lamb (99 per cent market share), mutton (80 per cent) and goat meat (100 per cent). 

In the lamb/sheep category, Australia holds a market share of 74 per cent followed by New Zealand (17 per cent), India (eight per cent) and Brazil (one per cent) as a newcomer.

The frozen boneless bovine meat markets are dominated by India, which provides 83 per cent of the market with cheap buffalo meat.

Tariffs, regulations and customs

All importers of meat need an import permit from the Ministry of Agriculture. Importers are authorised to import meat provided their consignment is accompanied by a government Veterinary Certificate of Health, which must conform to the conditions laid down in the permit. The meat and meat products will be authorised for sale only after veterinary inspection in the cold store in Mauritius.

There are no quotas or customs duties on meat of bovine animals, sheep and goats. However, meat of swine, and the meat and edible offal of live poultry, are subject to customs duty. Meat and meat offal are exempt from value added tax (VAT) which does not apply to basic food items. Preparations of meat are subject to a 15 per cent VAT rate.

The Meat Authority manages the abattoir, purchases and imports livestock for slaughter, and controls and regulates the sale of meat and meat products. Its central concern is the slaughter of cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. Approval and fixed prices are authorised through the Ministry of Commerce.

Mauritius is going through a four-year program, beginning in 2005, to become a duty free country. This policy is aimed at creating significant investment across the entire economy, developing new economic endeavourers and stimulating entrepreneurship. The initial objective is for Mauritius to increase tourism by offering wide-ranging duty free shopping.

The government is implementing the program incrementally to allow new revenue sources to be developed and to allow Mauritius business to prepare for increased competition.

Austrade can assist Australian suppliers in understanding the specific tariffs that apply to meat imports.

Industry standards

The Food Act 1998, details the regulations governing the composition, packaging, labelling and handling of foods in Mauritius. Standards for meat and meat products are listed in a specific chapter in the Food Act 1998.

For labelling, the following should be written on each carton or individual piece of meat:

• Name of packer/manufacturer
• Date of production
• Expiry date

Marketing your products and services

Market entry

Australia is a well-known and reliable supply source of meat to Mauritius and has a good image with consumers as a 'clean and 'green' country. Mauritius is a developing country, for the majority of the population purchasing power is limited; there is greater demand for cheaper frozen meat than for more expensive chilled meat.

Most local importers tend not to import meat from a wide array of sources but deal with a limited number of key suppliers. The market is defined in terms of quality of product and source of imports, there should be little problem exporting to Mauritius but competition is tough and buyers are very price sensitive.

Mauritius companies usually seek suppliers that can offer different types of meat and cuts for the convenience of consolidating orders from their clients. The importer or distributor client-base includes hotels, supermarkets and other retail outlets.

Fresh/chilled meat, being more expensive, has a small clientele and is mostly sold in the hypermarkets, some supermarkets, and to hotels and restaurants, whereas frozen meat is available in all supermarkets.

Buyers also seek credit facilities at times (eg. letter of credit 30-days or 60-days).

There are presently no online markets or e-communities for meat in Mauritius. However, the government is pursing an aggressive policy of IT and Internet development (the whole island has wireless Internet access) and e-commerce will develop rapidly.

Distribution channels

Importers and distributors bring in the meat for sale to retailers (hypermarkets, supermarkets and small shops). Hotels also buy from local importers and distributors.

Some supermarkets import meat (mostly chilled) directly and distribute stock within their own chain and to hotels. 

Transport

Frozen meat is brought in by sea freight, which can take between 10–20 days. There are direct shipments from Fremantle to Port Louis (Mauritius’ major commercial port) by the Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A (MSC). Alternatively, other shipping lines offer services with transhipment in either Durban or Singapore. Airfreight or sea freight is also available for chilled meat.

Mauritius has one international airport, the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport in south eastern Mauritius (at the opposite end of the island from the capital, Port Louis).

Air Mauritius is the national carrier, providing passenger and cargo services to over 30 destinations worldwide including Perth, Sydney and Melbourne in Australia.

The island has a road network of approximately 2000km of paved roads.

Links and industry contacts

Meat–related resources

Ministry of Health (Food Act 1998) ­– www.gov.mu/portal/site/mohsite/menuitem.5645a3cbbfc21458440a600248a521ca

Government, business and trade resources for Mauritius

Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry - www.mcci.org

Government of Mauritius - www.gov.mu

Contact details

The Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) is the Australian Government’s trade and investment development agency, operating as a statutory agency within the Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio.

Austrade assists Australian businesses contribute to national prosperity by succeeding in trade and investment, internationally, and promoting and supporting productive foreign investment into Australia.

Austrade:

• Delivers services that assist Australian businesses initiate, sustain and grow trade and outward investment.
• Promotes Australia as an inward investment destination and, with the States and Territories, supports the inflow of productive foreign direct investment.
• Administers the Export Market Development Grants scheme.
• Undertakes initiatives designed to improve community awareness of, and commitment to, international trade and investment.
• Provides advice to the Australian Government on its trade and investment development activities.
• Delivers consular, passport and other government services in designated overseas locations.

A list of Austrade offices (in alphabetical order of country) is available.

More information

For further information please contact Austrade on 13 28 78 or email info@austrade.gov.au

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