Measures to increase agricultural productivity and improve national food security

The sector is at present faced with several challenges namely:  the expansion of climate resilient agriculture, with a focus on high-value products, bio-farming and sheltered farming; accelerating the pace of adoption of sheltered farming systems; and advanced use of innovative technologies and ICT amongst others. In order to overcome the challenges and seize the opportunities that lie in the future, several measures have been enunciated in Budget 2019-2020 to provide immediate and substantial relief to planters and the industry.

In view to building long term resilience of the Sugar Cane Industry and support small planters to overcome challenges faced by the industry, namely decrease in the world sugar price, rising costs and falling production, Budget 2019-2020 is:

·         waiving of the amount due by small planters under the Field Operations Regrouping Project Scheme and of 50 percent of the advance on fertilizers provided to planters through the Mauritius Cane Industry Authority (MCIA);

·          waiving of the insurance premium paid to the Sugar Insurance Fund Board by planters producing up to 60 tons of sugar Crop 2019;

·         making provision for the MCIA to meet the shortfall arising from the suspension of CESS payments for Crop 2019

·         provide funds under the Cane Replantation Programme to encourage planters to bring their lands back under cultivation;

·         allocate Rs 15 million to the MCIA to acquire equipment for harvesting sugar cane of small planters;

·         develop a National Biomass framework for the use of sugar cane biomass, including cane trash, for electricity generation; and

·         provide a special unprecedented price of Rs 25,000 per ton of sugar for the first 60 tons of sugar accrued to all planters for crop 2019.

For the tea sector, Budget 2019-2020 endorses the branding of the Mauritian tea as a pesticide free product with unique health benefits and provides concessionary road tax allowance on double cab pick-ups to tea growers as is the case for other planters. It also makes provision for the doubling the three months winter allowance to tea growers during the low harvest winter season.

As regards bee-keeping, the Budget is providing for the following: development of bee keeping zones at River Tamaka and Palma, exemption of duty on the purchase of single/double space cabin vehicles, and grant of concessionary road tax to registered bee-keepers holding a minimum of 20 beehives.

Other measures to boost the agricultural sector include:

·         construction of some 100 sheltered farms across the island over the next two years, starting at Melrose, Plaine Magnien, Solitude, Beau Climat and Caroline to give a further spur to Sheltered farming;

·         rehabilitation of pig rearing sites at St Martin and Bassin Requin;

·         setting up of a livestock farm and an operational heifer farm in Melrose; and

·         setting up of a farm which will soon be operational at Salazie for sheep and goat breeding.