RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/STR/N/1/MUS
25July1995
ORGANIZATION(95-2145)
Original: English
STATE TRADING
Notification Pursuant toArticle XVII:4(a) oftheGATT 1994 and
Paragraph 1oftheUnderstanding ontheInterpretation ofArticle XVII
MAURITIUS
Thefollowing communication, dated 30June1995, hasbeenreceived from thePermanent
Mission ofMauritius.
_______________
Onbehalf oftheGovernment ofMauritius, Ihavethehonour tosubmit herewith anotification
onstatetrading enterprises under Article XVII ofGATT 1994 inaccordance withthequestionnaire
onstatetrading (BISD 9S/184-185).
Thenotification covers thefollowing enterprises:
1. State Trading Corporation
2. Tobacco Board
3. Agricultural Marketing Board
4. TeaBoard
5. Meat Authority
1. TheState Trading Corporation asastatetrading enterprise
TheStateTrading Corporation hastheexclusive privilege toimport petroleum products, ration
rice(20-35 percentbroken) andbasmati rice.
(a) Reason andpurpose
(i) Rice
TheGovernment 'sintervention inthericetrade hasbeenguided bytheGovernment 'spolicy
tomake available totheMauritian public, especially totheeconomically weaker sections ofthe
community thisstaple foodatthelowest possible pricewhile ensuring regular supplies andmaintaining
acceptable quality standards. Given thatriceissoldatareasonable price themain concern ofthe
Government hasbeentoobtain thebestpossible prices fromsuppliers bypurchasing inbulkforawhole
year, preferably onagovernment-to-government basis.G/STR/N/1/MUS
Page2
(ii) Cement
TheState-Trading Corporation imports only50percentofthecountry 'srequirements. The
other 50percentisimported bytheprivate sector.
(iii) Petroleum products
Given thestrategic roleofpetroleum products intheMauritian economy andtheirimpact on
thebalance oftrade, theGovernment decided in1983 thatthere should besome public intervention
inthissector. TheGovernment tookoverfrom theexisting importers 25percentofthecountry 's
domestic requirements. Thegoodperformance interms ofprices obtained andtheresulting substantial
savings inforeign exchange prompted theGovernment totakeovertheimportation ofallthecountry 's
requirements asfrom 1985. Theprocurement ofpetroleum products isdone through international
tender.
(b) Description andfunctioning
TheStateTradingCorporationhassofardealtwithimportsonly.TheStateTradingCorporation
isdealing onlyonfourproducts: rice,flour, petroleum products andcement.
Theannual quantities tobeimported arebased onannual estimates ofdemand obtained from
within theorganization afterconsultation withthedistributors.
Theresale prices arefixedbytheGovernment. TheStateTrading Corporation procures through
annual tender forpetroleum products, flour andcement andricethrough direct negotiation.
(c) Statistical information
SeeAnnex I.
2. TheTobacco Board asastatetrading enterprise
TheTobaccoBoardholdstherighttopurchaseallleaftobaccoproducedinMauritius.However,
these purchases donotinfluence thelevelofimports orexports.
(a) Reason andpurpose
TheTobacco Board wassetupin1932 tocontrol andregulate theproduction ofleaftobacco
inMauritius. Thelocalproduction isusedfordomestic consumption only. Tobacco growers need
toregister themselves withtheBoard andaregranted annual quotas forproduction. Thepurchase
price(price paidtogrowers) arecalculated onthebasisofproduction costsandbecause oftherelatively
highcostofinputs (labour, fertilizer, chemicals, etc.) domestic prices tendtobehigher thanworld
market prices.
(b) Description andfunctioning
Presently there isnoexport ofleaftobacco from Mauritius.
TheBoard doesnotdealwithimports, butthemanufacturer regularly imports leaftobacco
forblending purposes; permission toimport isgranted onrequest.
ThereisonlyonecigarettemanufacturerwhopurchasesthedomesticproductionfromtheBoard.G/STR/N/1/MUS
Page3
Thequantities imported depend onthedemand forandsaleofcertain brands ofcigarettes where
imported tobacco isblended (incorporated).
(C) Statistical information
Thequantity andvalue ofimports andnational production forthelastthreeyears areasfollows:
1992 1993 1994
Quantity
kg.Value
RQuantity
kg.Value
RQuantity
kg.Value
R
Imports 51,342 4,595,000 84,300 11,621,000 63,200 8,087,000
National
production 1,022,912 63,113,169 1,015,463 63,599,574 972,990 61,212,609
(d) Foreign trade
Foreign trade hasbeenlimited toimports forblending purposes only. Export ofleaftobacco
hasbeentriedwithout success, mainly because thehighproduction costsmade theMauritian tobacco
uncompetitive withcheaper sources andincertain cases because oftrade barriers.
(e) Additional information
TheTobacco Board isself-financing, deriving itsrevenue fromamark-up ofthepurchase price.
Thiscoversthecostsforadministration,regulatoryandadvisoryservices,processing(stacking,redyeing
andbaling) andwarehousing. TheBoard alsomaintains bonded stores onbehalf ofthemanufacturer.
3. TheAgricultural Marketing Board asastatetrading enterprise
Name oftheenterprise: theAgricultural Marketing Board
A. TheAgricultural Marketing board isthesoleimporter anddistributor of:
1. Potatoes (table andseeds);
2. Onions;
3. Garlic;
4. Maize;
5. Turmeric;
6. Cardamoms.G/STR/N/1/MUS
Page4
B. Theother products which havebeendeclared controlled butofwhich theBoard isneither the
importer northedistributor are:
1. Drybeans;
2. Chilies;
3. Ground nuts;
4. Spices;
5. Citrus fruits.
(a) Reason andpurpose
TheaimoftheAMB, inparticular reference totheitems listed inAabove, istoencourage
production andensure supplies onthemarket. Aguaranteed price isoffered totheproducers who
arealsoguaranteed market andstorage facilities.
(b) Description andfunctioning
- AMB deals mainly inimports andwithveryfewexports.
- Private traders areallowed toimport onlycontrolled products notimported/distributed
bytheBoard. Forcontrolled products notimported bytheBoard, traders havetohave
theirimport permits endorsed bytheBoard.
- Imports/exports depend verymuch onthestock situation.
- Along-termcontractexistsonlyforthemaizegraindestinedforanimalfeedproduction.
Thishasrecently come toanendandisbeing replaced withshorter-term contracts.
(c) Statistical information
1992 1993 1994
Imports
(Tons)Value
(R)Imports
(Tons)Value
(R)Imports
(Tons)Value
(R)
Ware
potatoes 6,099 28.1million 6,467 31.1million 4,896 26.4million
Mother
seed
potatoes 70 1.5million 70 1.7million 60 1.9million
Seed
potatoes 1,044 7.5million 1,168 8.9million 1,225 8.9million
Garlic 694 12.7million 881 11.6million 684 9.2million
Maize 32,585 98.6million 44,530 120.3 million 34,510 105.0 million
Turmeric 184 3.1million 255 3.6million 231 2.6million
Cardamoms 4.5 1.0million 6 1.5million 8 1.8million
Onions 4,250 14.0million 5,578 25.0million 5,508 26.6millionG/STR/N/1/MUS
Page5
(d) Foreign trade
Exports ofthese commodities arenegligible. Thecountry consumes whatitproduces.
4. TheTeaBoard asastatetrading enterprise
(a) Reason andpurpose
(b) Description ofthefunctioning
TheTeaBoard issues export permits onlywhile theactual exports arecarried outbythetea
manufacturers andprivate exporters. There isnocharge fortheissue ofexport permits.
TheBoard considers imports ofteasuponpayment ofarelevant import licence feeandstatutory
levyandcess.
Manufacturers areallowed toimport teas,mainly forblending purposes while private traders
canimport types ofteasthatarenotproduced locally e.g.flavoured teas,green teasandherbal teas.
There isfreecompetition between private traders andthestatetrading enterprise.
Prices areliberalized bothonimports andexports.
Long-term contracts aregenerally negotiated bytheTeaBoard under statetrading methods.
With thesplitoftheUSSR suchcontracts arenolonger available.
(c) Statistical information
Therelevant statistics onteaproduction exports andimports areinAnnex II.Thebulkof
thetrade hasbeendealtwithbyteamanufacturers.
5. TheMeat Authority asastatetrading enterprise
(a) Reason andpurpose
TheMeat Authority, aparastatal bodyunder theaegisoftheMinistry ofAgriculture, hasbeen
created in1974. Inaccordance withtheMeat ActNo.54of1974, theAuthority hasthepower to:
(i) establish andmanage abattoirs;
(ii) purchase andimport livestock forslaughter;
(iii) market meat, meatproducts andby-products oftheslaughtering process;
(iv) construct, maintain andrentplaces forthesaleofmeat, meatproducts orby-products
oftheslaughtering process;
(v) control andregulate thesaleofmeatandmeatproducts;
(vi) license persons andpremises inconnection withtheslaughter ofanimals formeat,
andthepreparation, processing, packing andmarketing ofmeat;G/STR/N/1/MUS
Page6
(vii) withtheapproval oftheMinister ofTrade andShipping, fixtheprice ofmeat and
meatproducts.
(b) Description andfunctioning
Assuch, itoperates theonlyabattoir inthecountry since 1978forcattle, sheep andgoats and
pigsandensures thetransportation ofcarcasses andoffaltothevarious licensed salepoints.
In1986, theauthority hasbeenmade thesoleimporter ofslaughter cattle bytheGovernment.
Theauthority hassince beenabletoensure aregular supply offresh beefinthecountry andhasthus
regulated thesaleoffresh meatandmeatproducts.
Similarly, goats forslaughter arealsoimported since 1989 onaregular basis inorder to
supplement localproduction.
Thequantity tobeimported represents thedifference between thetotalyearly requirements
andthelocalproduction. Thecontract ofsupply oftheimported animals isestablished withasupplier
whose quotation hasbeenapproved bytheMeat Board following atender exercise. Thefuture tenders
forthesupply ofanimals totheauthority willhenceforth bemade bytheGovernment Tender Board
which hasbeenrecently constituted.
However, theGovernment hasrecently decided thattheimportation ofslaughter cattle should
beliberalized. Themodalities arebeing currently worked outbefore theimplementation ofthatdecision.
Local production willcontinue tobeprotected.
Inaddition, theauthority runstheCattle Marketing Scheme since1987whereby theGovernment
subsidy ofMRS 6/kg. carcass orMRS 3/kg. liveisgranted tocattle breeders. since May1991 the
authority alsoguarantees themarket ofalllocally-produced cattle forthebreeders.
Theauthority applies anominal mark-up ofabout 5percentonthecostoftheimported animal
while working outthe(wholesale) selling price. Theprice ofthelocally-produced cattle isworked
outbytheauthority which offers aguaranteed market ataguaranteed priceforthelargebreeders while
thesmall breeders areoffered afloor price.
Theauthority thusfixesauniform price tothelicensed butchers forboththeimported and
thelocalanimal ofequivalent quality.
(c) Statistical information
Theabattoir statistics forthelastthreecalendar years areinAnnex III.They show theorigin
numbers andcaracass weight oftheanimals ofthethree different groups -cattle, sheep andgoats,
pigsanddeer.G/STR/N/1/MUS
Page7
ANNEX I
Importations byState Trading Corporations
(Metric tons)
Financial
yearRice Flour Cement Petroleum
productsFruits Others
(see
note
below)Total
30-35%
brokenBelow
5%
broken/
Other
Grade A
1988/89 85,460 - 34,686 195,614 488,231 - - 803,991
1989/90 68,243 8,530 4,252 224,698 517,164 9 - 822,896
1990/91 83,810 1,500 11,459 218,868 494,738 7 - 810,382
1991/92 57,308 6,000 7,770 245,613 557,309 10 115 874,125
1992/93 68,528 16,852 7,204 279,403 561,061 237 2 933,287
Notes onother products
Note:
(a) Breakdown: 1991/92: Fertilizer =111
Helmet = 4(or2,952 units)
1992/93: Helmet = 2(or1,340 units)
(b) TheCorporation doesnotintend tocontinue importation offertilizer andhelmet infuture.G/STR/N/1/MUS
Page8ANNEX II
(a) Statistics onTeaProduction andExports
1992 1993 1994
Factory/blender Teamade Export Teamade Export Teamade Export
(kg.) Quantity (kg.) Value (Rf.o.b.) (kg.) Quantity (kg.) Value (Rf.o.b.) (kg.) Quantity (kg.) Value (Rf.o.b.)
Belle Rive 1,096,491 1,184,069 19,882,696 1,375,424 1,184,360 26,923,778 803,153 996,120 18,963,810
BCheri 603,943 47,179 3,671,550 599,560 23,407 1,937,169 564,267 80,446 4,192,623
Corson 383,711 136 16,812 412,698 800 62,400 467,800 - -
Dubreuil 1,527,559 1,836,350 29,740,582 1,551,430 1,447,958 33,565,426 1,214,182 1,166,237 23,986,439
LaFlora 117,655 11,638 135,118 112,238 16,710 309,695 93,820 670 43,401
LaPipe 1,987,255 2,248,290 40,373,365 1,855,754 1,721,320 39,857,027 1,917,177 1,783,580 35,728,690
NFrance 91,618 123,120 1,316,529 9,658 3,300 68,549 19,646 8,900 112,612
PColville - - - 13,870 - - 8,722 - -
Local blenders - 9,880 82,328 - - - - - -
Total 5,808,232 5,460,662 95,218,980 5,930,632 4,397,855 102,724,044 5,088,767 4,035,953 83,027,605
(b) Imports ofTea
______________________________________________________________________________________
Year Quantity Value
(kg.) Rc.i.f.
______________________________________________________________________________________
1992 7,962 190,055
1993 12,125 1,160,090
1994 15,523 1,220,125
______________________________________________________________________________________G/STR/N/1/MUS
Page9ANNEX III
Cattle
Cow-keepers Rodriques MMPA
LocalMMPA
WeanersAFRIMAD Imported
MMATotal
Month No. Carcass
weight
(kg.)No. Carcass
weight
(kg.)No. Carcass
weight
(kg.)No. Carcass
weight
(kg.)No. Carcass
weight
(kg.)No. Carcass
weight
(kg.)No. Carcass
weight
(kg.)
January 68 9,743 27 4,276 145 33,945 198 44,372 - - 497 120,154 935 212,490
February 56 7,735 33 5,193 102 19,637 108 23,974 42(SL) 9,969 447 119,552 788 186,060
March 69 9,493 12 1,589 93 18,114 71 15,407 11(SL) 2,437 844 216,244 1,100 263,284
April 97 12,983 16 2,486 80 15,058 50 6,824 - - 888 222,807 1,131 260,159
May 90 10,582 14 2,219 44 7,160 28 3,226 27(W) 3,817 516 126,437 719 153,441
June 37 4,668 29 4,001 25 3,923 41 8,229 41(W) 7,136 504 117,764 677 145,721
July 60 8,226 19 2,575 93 15,529 6 1,306 33(W) 6,503 777 184,680 988 218,819
August 77 10,465 27 4,102 127 28,573 46 11,089 1 182 682 167,775 959 222,104
September 79 11,252 35 5,281 195 40,499 149 36,819 15 2,609 571 139,219 1,044 235,677
October 60 8,559 27 4,270 107 19,244 114 28,471 - - 747 176,197 1,055 236,741
November 57 7,885 27 4,383 32 5,226 27 5,777 - - 842 202,752 985 226,023
December 87 13,681 44 7,676 110 28,808 79 15,920 - - 1,037 241,912 1,357 309,997
Total 769 115,272 310 48,051 1,153 235,716 917 201,414 170 32,653 8,352 2,035,493 11,738 2,670,516
(SL)=Slaughter cattle
(W)=Weaners
31March 1995G/STR/N/1/MUS
Page10MAURITIUS MEAT AUTHORITY
Slaughter Statistics fortheYear 1992
Cattle Local Rodriques Imported
South Africa Madagascar ZimbabweTotal
Month No. Hd. Cwt.
kg.No. Hd. Cwt.
kg.No. Hd. Cwt..
kg.No. Hd. Cwt.
kg.No. Hd. Cwt.
kg.No. Hd. Cwt.
kg.
January 238 41,374 59 7,981 2 417 1,029 129,028 1,328 178,800
February 263 41,975 86 11,797 1,033 135,785 1,382 189,557
March 190 34,344 39 5,448 265 67,546 555 69,961 1,049 177,299
April 272 49,844 79 11,513 35 8,877 975 138,569 1,361 208,803
May 184 35,340 20 2,845 250 52,676 904 126,484 1,358 217,345
June 87 11,719 29 4,061 195 40,055 494 67,001 805 122,836
July 145 28,813 46 6,679 196 48,497 549 78,439 77 19,687 1,013 182,115
August 173 34,392 49 7,086 168 38,316 524 129,857 914 209,651
September 192 30,050 52 8,152 335 69,089 369 89,068 948 196,359
October 275 54,056 41 6,257 37 7,167 719 168,360 1,072 235,840
November 201 38,393 37 6,372 607 153,273 845 198,038
December 229 42,780 42 6,470 783 210,117 1,054 259,367
Total 2,449 443,080 579 84,661 1,483 332,640 5,539 745,267 3,079 770,362 13,129 2,376,010G/STR/N/1/MUS
Page11MAURITIUS MEAT AUTHORITY
Slaughter Statistics fortheYear 1992
Goats andsheep Pork Deer
Madagascar Zimbabwe Local Local Local
No.ofhead Carcass weight
(kg.)No.ofhead Carcass weight
(kg.)No.ofhead Carcass weight
(kg-)No.ofhead Carcass weight
(kg.)No.ofhead Carcass weight
(kg.)
January 740 10,567 1,552 10,578 1,473 97,788 59 1,916
February 41 735 1,543 10,434 1,064 67,484 76 2,519
March 1 23 1,470 9,969.5 1,017 66,164.5 74 2,302
April 1 18 1,342 9,045 1,133 75,789 73 2,296
May 1,678 10,173 1,202 81,804.5 75 2,328
June 110 1,339 958 6,153.5 1,078 74,202.5 106 3,014.5
July 443 5,600 810 5,056.5 1,166 79,248.5 98 2,691.5
August 224 2,887.5 1,432 29,261 1,278 88,151.5 104 2,729.5
September 13 192.5 1,293 7,242.5 1,185 84,760 71 2,323.5
October 1 17.5 264 3,368.5 1,260 7,714.5 1,225 85,916 35 1,127
November 328 3,968 1,298 8,008.5 1,197 89,126 91 3,036
December 1,152 12,879 1,423 8,675 1,492 103,650.5 566 18,740.5
Total 1,574 21,379.5 1,744 20,215.5 16,064 122,311 14,510 994,125 1,428 45,023.5G/STR/N/1/MUS
Page12MAURITIUS MEAT AUTHORITY
Slaughter Statistics fortheYear 1993
Cattle Sheep &Goats Pigs Deer
Local Rodrigues Imported Local Imported
Month No.
Hd.Cwt.
kg.No.
Hd.Cwt.
kg.No.
Hd.Cwt.
kg.No.
HdCwt.
kg.No. Hd. Cwt.
kg.No.
Hd.Cwt.
kg.No.
Hd.Cwt.
kg.
January 186 31,178.00 38 5,611.00 589 145,153.00 1,647 10,833.00 728 8,026.50 1,254 8,4470.00 44 1,414.50
February 133 22,263.00 19 2,490.00 810 168,990.00 1,241 7,897.50 84 940.50 996 71,230.00 89 2,734.00
March 95 14,864.00 17 2,280.00 839 201,588.00 1,195 7,927.00 176 2,006.00 1,078 68,122.00 137 4,466.50
April 143 22,621.00 18 2,427.00 895 217,917.00 1,333 8,684.50 88 1,025.00 1,292 84,102.50 137 3,987.50
May 154 33,730.00 12 1,361.00 507 124,346.00 1,317 8,158.50 344 4,011.50 1,131 73,828.00 143 3,808.50
June 108 19,347.00 386 92,773.00 571 3,527.50 551 7,297.50 1,208 82,325.00 189 5,472.50
July 164 29,743.00 4 497.00 650 171,908.00 632 3,764.00 811 8,802.00 1,302 90,058.00 73 2,081.00
August 103 16,052.00 2 275.00 796 199,021.00 1,381 8,555.00 193 2,369.50 1,421 96,272.00 70 2,147.00
September 205 43,230.00 30 4,481.00 668 177,530.00 1,221 7,183.00 13 180.00 1,435 96,967.00 46 1,299.00
October 263 50,178.00 50 6,815.00 759 201,941.00 1,481 9,114.00 2 33.00 1,421 96,658.00 44 1,334.00
November 269 54,292.00 43 6,749.00 684 154,699.00 1,229 7,706.00 143 1,593.00 1,358 94,020.00 91 2,837.00
December 253 48,928.00 54 7,647.00 921 239,709.00 1,624 10,782.00 812 8,361.00 1,753 116,267.00 278 9,303.00
Total 2,076 386,426.00 287 40,633.00 8,504 2,095,575.00 14,872 94,132.00 3,945 44,645.50 15,649 1,054,319.50 1,341 40,884.50G/STR/N/1/MUS
Page13MAURITIUS MEAT AUTHORITY
Slaughter Statistics 1994
Sheep andgoats Pigs Deer
Local Imported
Head kg. Head kg. Head kg. Head kg.
January 1,591.00 11,967.00 559.00 5,649.00 1,269.00 85,151.00 16.00 492.00
February 805.00 5,537.00 467.00 4,254.00 1,138.00 73,763.00 28.00 851.00
March 531.00 4,014.50 698.00 6,732.50 1,353.00 88,181.50 38.00 1,253.50
April 600.00 3,900.00 780.00 9,232.50 1,221.00 80,372.00 67.00 2,031.50
May 537.00 3,849.50 753.00 9,260.50 1,249.00 81,686.50 134.00 4,341.50
June 599.00 3,862.00 588.00 6,889.50 1,328.00 78,935.50 68.00 2,112.00
July 604.00 3,336.50 768.00 9,452.50 1,338.00 88,369.00 30.00 900.50
August 984.00 6,163.00 365.00 4,554.00 1,332.00 91,223.00 111.00 3,061.50
September 828.00 5,153.50 300.00 4,537.00 1,415.00 99,262.00 68.00 2,092.50
October 751.00 4,517.00 696.00 7,162.00 1,393.00 97,371.00 107.00 3,434.00
November 847.00 5,519.00 721.00 6,857.00 1,162.00 83,210.00 132.00 4,446.00
December 1,457.00 8,113.00 828.00 9,163.00 1,578.00 110,591.50 393.00 12,396.00
Total 10,134.00 65,932.00 7,523.00 83,743.50 15,776.00 1,058,116.00 1,192.00 37,412.00