Includes information on average tariff rates and types that U.S. firms should be aware of when exporting to the market.
Last Published: 2/28/2017
Custom duties range from 5 to 20 percent and are modified annually by the yearly Budget and Finance law.  According to the WTO, approximately 43 percent of tariff lines are subject to a 20 percent customs duty, with beverages, fisheries and textiles being among the most protected products. 
 
The average tariff rates for the best prospect sectors are listed below:
 
Iron and Steel Products: 22.8%
Rock Drills, Construction and Surface Mining-Type: 7.1%
Petroleum Pipelines, Crude: 12%
Vegetable Oils: 17.7%
Shoes : 12%
Plastics :13.4%
Cosmetics : 24%
 
Under the GOM’s various industrial promotion schemes, inputs imported for certain sectors enjoy fiscal incentives that often include waivers of customs import duties and VAT, particularly in the apparel industry under the Export Processing Zone Law (EPZ), and in the mining industry.  See Chapter 6.
 
The GOM also extends certain tariff preferences to particular countries as part of its membership in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).  U.S. firms that have manufacturing presence in member countries of these associations would benefit from duty-free entry to the Malagasy market under certain conditions.  

Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.