Mauritius - New Measures Implemented for Metayers of Sugar Cane

The Ministry of Agro Industry, Food Production and Security and the Mauritius Sugar Producers’ Association signed this morning in Port Louis an Agreement regarding the implementation of the package for metayers of sugar cane.

In his address, the Minister of Agro Industry, Food Production and Security, Mr. Satish Faugoo, who signed the Agreement on behalf of the government, recalled that this Agreement has been made possible today thanks to the Prime Minister, Dr. Navin Ramgoolam who, when concluding the deal on sugar reform with the MSPA in December 2007, had insisted that the metayers should also be taken on board, so that they may also benefit from the reform.

In view of the complexities of the issues, it has taken quite some time to complete the exercise and come up with measures that have now been accepted by all stakeholders, Minister Faugoo added. The Agreement covers rental charges, land swapping, buying back of metayers' rights and sale of land to metayers.

The rental charge has now been fixed at a uniform rate of 10% of the sugar accruing to metayers based on the final assessment made by the Control Board as compared to 10% to 25% previously. Land swapping will enable owner estates to propose alternative land of similar value to metayers if the land which the latter are occupying is considered to be strategic land.

This Agreement also makes provision for the possibility for metayers to sell their “metayers right” to owner estates against payment of compensation and also to buy the land they are presently occupying if it is considered as non strategic or an alternative plot of land if the land they are occupying is considered to be strategic by the owner estate.

The Chairperson of the Mauritius Sugar Producers’ Association, Mr. Jacques D’Unienville, for his part said that this Agreement is a win-win situation for all those concerned and that these terms have been reached after many working sessions and is based on a consensus reached by all parties concerned.

Metayers have over the past six decades or so significantly contributed to the development of the sugar industry. This Agreement will benefit around 1 100 metayers who occupy 3 430 arpents of land across the country.

source: isria