New sugar exports agreement comes into force in Mauritius

APA - Port Louis (Mauritius) The new arrangements within the framework of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the EU and the Asia, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries will be guiding the exports of Mauritian sugar production to the EU as of Thursday, APA learns on Thursday in the capital Port Louis.

The Sugar Protocol (SP) which managed for 34 years the export of Mauritian sugar production to the EU is no longer in force since last Wednesday.

The Mauritian Agro-Industry minister, Satish Faugoo, stated here on Thursday that Mauritius was allowed to export a duty-free 500 000 tonne quota to the EU at a guaranteed price, under the SP which came in force in 1975.

The price, Faugoo added, was higher than what Mauritius could have fetched on the international market.

He continued that under the new agreement, Mauritius which is now in the EPA/Eastern and Southern Africa Group will share a quota of 545,000 tonnes with Zimbabwe for 2009.

The quota will be increased to 632, 850 tonnes in 2011/2012 but as from 2015 the market will be completely liberalised and Mauritius will have to lead an uphill battle to secure its market, Faugoo declared.

Also, the Agro-Industry minister Faugoo said the Mauritius Sugar Syndicate has signed an agreement with the German company Sudzucker.

This agreement, in force till 2015, added to the just started production of refined white sugar and special sugars have revived hopes for the sugar industry in Mauritius and proved that the industry is still viable.

Such readjustments will bring more revenue to the island than before, the minister said

Faugoo added that Mauritius has done well to sign with Sudzucker as it is the largest sugar producer in Europe with an annual production of around 4.6 million tonnes.

source: apanews