Madam Speaker, my Ministry currently imposes price control on 34 categories of essential commodities for Mauritius and out of which 12 commodities are controlled under the maximum fixed price mechanism which includes scheduled bread, LPG, mogas and gasoil and flour. In addition, there are 22 commodities comprising of more than 24,000 products which are controlled under the maximum markup mechanism including milk powder, breakfast cereals, infant food, edible oil, pharmaceutical products and basmati rice. For Rodrigues, there are 22 commodities which are now under maximum markup mechanism such as animal feed, edible oil, canned poultry, canned tuna and cheese among others. There are 14 commodities under maximum fixed price including fresh fish and garlics. Moreover, my Ministry is already providing relief to consumers through the provision of subsidised flour to consumers with a subsidy of Rs8.04 per half kg. Long grain white rice with a subsidy of Rs8.30 per half kg and for a 12kg LPG cylinder, a subsidy of Rs386.68 is being granted. The Government is already disbursing an estimated amount of Rs5 billion per year for the maintenance of those subsidies in order to make the essential commodities affordable to the vulnerable household both in Mauritius and Rodrigues. It is a fact that Mauritius is a highly import dependent country and is highly affected to the disruption on the international markets and exposed to foreign exchange volatilities variation in supplier prices and changes in the freight cost. My Ministry has initiated a series of action to protect consumers against upside volatilities in prices and protect consumer interest. Madam Speaker, in order to ensure affordability and accessibility of essential commodities, my Ministry has recently introduced maximum mark-up on frozen pack vegetables and canned vegetables and is currently working on extending maximum mark-up on other essential frequently consumed commodities for both Mauritius and Rodrigues. I also wish to inform the House that a proposed list of essential commodities is being finalised for bulk importation at lower prices for which partnership with international suppliers will be explored in order to increase access for all consumers and reduce inflationary pressures.

85 Furthermore, continuous market monitoring and analysis on the prices of essential commodities on the market are ongoing at the level of my Ministry. The latest finding of such exercise revealed that following the intervention of the Bank of Mauritius in order to stabilise the value of the rupee and to control inflation, the prices of several essential commodities are witnessing stability and notable decreases in retail prices since the beginning of the year 2025. These include products such as infant milk, baby food, processed cheese, pasta, breakfast cereals, basmati rice, canned sardines and corned mutton. Madam Speaker, as regards unfair practices, my Ministry has inspected around 3,000 trade premises across the island since the beginning of the year including supermarkets, shops, pharmacies, bakeries, hardware shops, trade and market fairs among others and have issued 343 contraventions up to date. Furthermore, the Consumer Protection (Fixed Penalty Notice) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 were promulgated to strengthen the enforcement of sanctions against unfair commercial practices. Since their implementation on 31 March 2025, a total of 31 traders have been issued fixed penalty notices in accordance with the revised fines. Madam Speaker, additionally, in line with the measures announced in the Government Programme 2025-2029, my Ministry is currently working on different legislation in order to – a) prevent any unwarranted increase in price in times of emergencies and crisis and to prevent the holding of products for sale at higher prices in the future which is a crucial step in creating a market place that is not only fair but also resilient in times of uncertainty, and b) protect consumers from unscrupulous traders who have a tendency to increase their profit margin by reducing the size or weight of a product. This will enable consumers to compare prices based on consistent units and as such empower consumers with the information, they need to make informed purchasing decision while discouraging deceptive business practices, c) last but certainly not the least, I am pleased to announce that the New Consumer Protection Bill has successfully completed its drafting stage with a view to addressing the evolving challenges in the market place. The Bil represents a significant step forward in strengthening consumers’ rights and enhancing protection against unfair business practices.

86 The Bill is expected to be presented to Cabinet soon and thereafter, it will be introduced in the National Assembly. The Bill represents a cornerstone of our broader consumer protection agenda and once enacted, it will significantly enhance the confidence and security of consumers in our economy. Thank you.

Thank you, hon. Minister! HANDBALL – REVIVAL ACTIONS – NOV 2024-15 APRIL 2025