Month: September 2018

World Tourism Day dedicated to digital transformation

Posted by APEC on in Press

In recent years, tourism has continued to grow and diversify, becoming one of the most important economic sectors in the world.

This day – under the following theme: tourism and digital transformation – aims to highlight the real and potential contribution of tourism to sustainable development. This year, World Tourism Day will highlight, in the context of sustainable development, the opportunities offered by technological advances, artificial intelligence and digital platforms. Faced with the challenge of sustaining growth over time while making tourism a more sustainable and accountable sector, the World Tourism Organization believes that digital advancements and innovation provide a solution.

In Mauritius, tourism remains a promising sector for our economy with a growth rate of 4% from January to August this year.

 

At Solitude: Voltas Yellow solar power plant for renewable energy

Posted by APEC on in Press

In addition to the government’s renewable energy production policy, the Central Electricity Board, in partnership with Voltas Yellow Ltd, is launching the Voltas Yellow solar power plant in Solitude.

A project of Rs 800 million, which benefits from the expertise of the French company Voltas Green Ltee. The Central Electricity Board has launched various projects in partnership with private organizations and plans to increase renewable energy production to 35% by 2025.

 

Main agro-industrial products of Mauritius

Posted by APEC on in Environment

Sugar cane

At the end of June 2018, some 1,658 hectares under sugar cane were harvested, yielding 116,353 tonnes of sugar cane and 14,350 tonnes of sugar.  The corresponding figures for the same period in 2017 were 2,643 hectares, 197,192 tonnes of sugar cane and 16,454 tonnes of sugar respectively.  The average extraction rate as at end of June 2018 was 8.89%, compared to 8.34% as at end of June 2017.

According to Mauritius Chamber of Agriculture, production of sugar for the crop year 2018 will be around 330,000 tonnes, representing a decrease of 7.1%, compared to 355,213 tonnes in 2017.

Tea

At the end of June 2018, area under tea plantation was 656 hectares representing an increase of 5.5% over the figure of 622 hectares during the same period of 2017. However, the production of green tea leaves went down by 3.3%: 4,136 tonnes in first semester of 2018 as compared to 4,279 tonnes during the same period of 2017, mainly due to unfavourable climatic conditions. The production of manufactured tea decreased by 11.7% from 815 tonnes in the first semester of 2017 to 720 tonnes in the same period of 2018.

 

 

4.  Food crops

Data on food crops (except paddy rice) production, are supplied by the Food and Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (FAREI). Figures are thereafter adjusted to take into account backyard production of banana, eddoes, manioc and sweet potato. Data on paddy rice was obtained from concerned establishment.

The area under food crops harvested decreased by 16.3% from 3,332 hectares in the first semester of 2017 to 2,789 hectares in the same period of 2018. The production of food crops decreased by 33.4% from 41,989 tonnes to 27,965 tonnes during the same period, mainly explained by unfavourable climatic conditions. It is to be noted that area under rice cultivation harvested declined by 76.4% from 55 hectares in the first semester of 2017 to 13 hectares in the same period of 2018. The production of paddy rice went down by 87.8% from 156 tonnes to 19 tonnes during the same period.

 

5. Livestock

Data on production of beef, goat meat, mutton and pork are supplied by Mauritius Meat Authority. It is to be noted that these data represent only animals slaughtered by the Central Abattoir, including live animals imported from Rodrigues and other countries for slaughter.

 

During the first half of 2018, the production of beef from live cattle was 1,169 tonnes, as compared to 1,173 tonnes registered in the corresponding period of 2017. Beef production from the slaughter of imported cattle, accounting for 98.0% of the total production, decreased by 1.9% from 1,167 tonnes to 1,145 tonnes.  Local beef production went up from 6 tonnes to 25 tonnes.

The production of goat meat and mutton went up by 11.5% from 26 tonnes during the first semester of 2017 to 29 tonnes for the same period of 2018. The share of local production, inclusive of Rodrigues, stood at 65.5 %.

The production of pork decreased by 13.9% from 288 tonnes in the first semester of 2017 to 248 tonnes during the same period of 2018.

6. Poultry

The production of poultry increased by 2.1% from 23,500 tonnes in the first semester of 2017 to 24,000 tonnes during the same period of 2018.

7. Fish

Total fish production went up by 21.4% from 11,090 tonnes in the first six months of 2017 to 13,462 tonnes in the same period of 2018. This increase was attributable to a rise of 21.8% in the production of other catch (tuna, bank etc) from 10,206 tonnes in 2017 to 12,427 tonnes in 2018, coupled with an increase of 17.1% in the production of fresh coastal fish catch from 884 tonnes in the first semester of 2017 to 1035 tonnes during the same period of 2018.

 

Mauritius set to become a sophisticated and attractive financial centre, says Prime Minister

Posted by APEC on in Environment

Mauritius continues to play a strategic role as a trusted and fully compliant international financial centre. Government has taken bold and proactive measures and is continuously devising new policies to further transform Mauritius into a sophisticated and attractive financial centre.

At the opening session of the two-day “Mauritius International Financial Centre – Forward Looking” Conference, Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth highlighted that important progress has been achieved since key reforms were announced in Budget Speech 2018-2019. This, he underlined, demonstrates the importance that all stakeholders attach to our Financial Services sector, which remains one of the pillars of the country’s economy.

He underscored that Government is fully committed to bring Mauritius into the league of high income countries, thus translating essential benefits to each and every citizen of this country. This, he stated, is already reflected in the positive changes noted in the main economic indicators. The country’s Gross Domestic Product is forecast to grow by 4.1% in 2018-2019, with financial services growing at a comparatively faster rate of 5.5% as compared to other traditional and emerging sectors, he pointed out.

 

Govt. support to sugar planters

Posted by APEC on in Newsletter

The Government will provide support to sugarcane planters who are facing financial difficulties due to the decline in sugar price on the world market. The following measures are being proposed for providing immediate relief to planters for Crop 2018: a cash compensation of Rs1,250 per ton of sugar to all planters; and additional remuneration from bagasse of Rs1,250 per ton of sugar thus bringing the revenue accruing from bagasse to Rs2,500 for small planters and Rs1,700 for other planters.

 

For planters with less than 100 hectares of cane cultivation, the advance of 80% would be extended on all the revenue received from sugar and co-products instead of the ex MSS price on sugar only. The Mauritius Cane Industry Authority would also assist planters with less than 100 hectares under cane cultivation through an advance from the Planters Fund for the purchase of fertilizers for crop 2019. The advance would be around Rs13,000 per hectare.

 

Government would continue to explore new markets for sugar, in particular special sugar, with remunerative prices. In this respect, after protracted negotiations with the Chinese authorities under the Mauritius China Free Trade Agreement, Mauritius has managed to obtain a tariff rate quota of 50,000 tons of special sugar.

 

Quand des jeunes prennent la loi entre leurs mains

Posted by APEC on in Environment

Ce qui s’est passé à Goodlands dimanche après-midi est très grave. Un groupe de jeunes faisaient du rallye illégal. Quand ils ont été appelés à l’ordre par la police, voilà que certains d’entre eux ont commencé à insulter la police et l’un d’eux a même craché sur le visage de la police.  Or très tôt lundi matin, un groupe de jeunes sont allés saccager la maison et la voiture du policier.  Ces jeunes méritent une punition sévère pour que d’autres ne récidivent pas.

 

 

National prevention campaign against Non-Communicable Diseases launched

Posted by APEC on in Environment, Newsletter

A national prevention campaign against Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs),  with the aiming at sensitising and educating the public against the risk-related factors, complications and prevention measures of NCDs.

 

This campaigns It comprises a series of activities namely screening for NCDs, breast cervical, vision, cholesterol, as well as counselling and health education.

An early detection of NCDs is fundamental to prevent diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and cancer and their related complications.

«The population should adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle as well as practice sports to improve the management of NCDs, and promote the health status of the population», Ministre Anwar Husnoo emphasised.

Speaking about the link between food habits and the prevalence of NCDs, the Health Minister pointed out that rapid changes in diets as well as lifestyles due to industrialisation, urbanisation, economic development and market globalisation, have accelerated over the past decade.

The Minister also expressed concern over the increasing number of new cases of cancer each year. In 2017, there were 2 500 new cancer cases, 1 500 among females and 1 000 among men, with breast cancer topping the list. Regular exercise and a healthy and balanced diet can reduce the incidence of cancer.

 

Collendavelloo défend Husnoo

Posted by APEC on in Press

Malgré qu’il a pris ses distances du ML, Anwar Husnoo a trouvé un bon avocat en la personne d’Ivan Collendavelloo. Ainsi, à Rivière-des-Anguilles, vendredi, le Premier ministre par intérim a indiqué que la décision d’accorder Anwar Husnoo, Rs 15 millions pour l’acquisition de son terrain a été prise par un juge de la Cour Suprême et ses deux assesseurs.

 

 

Listeria: corn and other contaminated vegetables

Posted by APEC on in Press

Many products containing frozen vegetables from Hungary could pose a risk of listeriosis. France organizes their recall. The alert was launched three months back in France: frozen vegetables from Hungary, sold in many stores in mainland France and overseas, pose a risk of contamination with listeria.

The Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF), which publishes the list of products concerned, already counts, as of July 18, nearly twenty references (bags of frozen vegetables, prepared meals , salads …). 48 cases of listeriosis including 10 deaths

According to the report of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), there is a “multi-country outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes”.

In three years, 5 European countries reported 48 cases of listeriosis linked to frozen corn and “possibly other frozen vegetables”, including 10 deaths – the European Commission informed the French authorities in July 2018 of a recent death in Australia. France has not, to date, identified any case of listeriosis corresponding to the strain that contaminated these vegetables. Health authorities, however, recall that cooking food at 70 ° C or higher kills the bacteria and prevents contamination.

Caused by the ingestion of listeria (Listeria monocytogenes bacteria), listeriosis is characterized by the appearance of a fever (more or less high), headaches and sometimes digestive disorders (nausea, diarrhea, vomiting). Pregnant women need to be particularly sensitive to these symptoms, as this disease can lead to health consequences for the child. Elderly people as well as those with a fragile immune system should also be vigilant.