This is a best prospect industry sector for this country. Includes a market overview and trade data.
Last Published: 8/19/2019

This is a best prospect industry sector for this country.  

Overview
As of mid-2019, there were 386 registered private drugstores and 33 registered pharmaceutical wholesalers in Mauritius.  Pharmaceutical products can only be imported by wholesalers licensed by the Pharmacy Board, which operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life.  Of the $130 million of pharmaceuticals imported in 2018, the Health Ministry accounted for about 25 percent of the import value.  The government purchases mostly generic medications through tenders issued throughout the year according to an established annual procurement plan.  The private hospitals and drug stores tend to buy branded products through local wholesalers.  In 2018, India remained the main supplier of pharmaceuticals to Mauritius, with 28 percent of the market, followed by France (16 percent), South Africa (eight percent), Germany (eight percent), and the United Kingdom (six percent).  Imports from the United States in 2018 were two percent of the total, but some European imports originate from U.S. subsidiaries.  Ajanta Pharma, an Indian company, is currently the only pharmaceutical-manufacturing company in Mauritius.    
 

Unit: USD Thousands

2016

2017

2018

2019 (Estimate)

Total Local Production

-

4,731

4,686

4,920

Total Exports

32,228

32,192

33,541

35,218

Total Imports

114,289

113,574

130,260

136,773

Imports from the U.S.

1,470

1,620

2,782

2,921

Total Market Size

-

150,497

101,405

106,475

Exchange Rates

36.00

35.30

 34.62

35.50

(total market size = (total local production + imports) - exports)
Data Source: i) Statistics Mauritius, ii) Economic Development Board

Leading Sub-Sectors
The main categories of pharmaceutical products imported into Mauritius:

  • Non-antibiotic medicines

  • Vaccines (human and veterinarian)

  • Antibiotics

  • Anti-infective, antiretroviral and antihypertensive drugs

  • Cardiovascular drugs

  • Cytotoxic drugs

  • Antidiabetics

  • Renal drugs

  • Opioids, antituberculosis, ophthalmic, dermatological and NICU drugs


Opportunities
Since Mauritius imports the vast majority of its pharmaceuticals, there are opportunities for U.S. products to increase their share of the market.  Private pharmaceutical wholesalers represent the best export opportunities since they import about 75 percent of the total pharmaceutical products in Mauritius.  Government procurement tends to favor generic medicines.  Some private clinics occasionally do their own procurement.

U.S. companies could also consider manufacturing pharmaceuticals in Mauritius for the African market.  As a member of SADC and COMESA, exports from Mauritius to members of these organizations benefit from duty-free access, provided the rules of origin are met.  The government offers a tax holiday of eight years, three percent corporate tax on profits derived from exports, investment tax credit for investment in hi-tech manufacturing, and air- and sea-freight rebates on exports for new companies involved in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals.

Web Resources
Economic Development Board
Ministry of Health and Quality of Life
Public Procurement Portal
Statistics Mauritius

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