Mauritius has a population of almost 1.3 million people.[1] The country's population is closely distributed between urban and rural regions, which account for 41%[2] and 59%[3], respectively. The agricultural sector represents 3.6% of the national GDP,[4] but employs only 5% of the national workforce.[5]
Mauritius is a small island of 1,965 square kilometres (186,475 hectares), and agriculture occupies around 44 % of the arable land area on the island. The agricultural sector of the country is primarily driven by the production of sugarcane; of which smallholders are crucial contributors; household farms are a large contributor to crop production and livestock rearing[6]. Due to an exclusive focus on sugar production on the island, farmers are also vulnerable to the fluctuations of sugar prices in the rest of the world.[7] Producers themselves face persistent difficulties in obtaining agri-inputs as the prices are prohibitively expensive, lack of storage facilities, inadequate infrastructure, and struggling to adapt to changing climate [8].
The top produced commodities in Mauritius are Sugar cane and the meat of chickens.[9] Mauritius’ top export commodities in terms of quantity are refined sugar, raw cane or beet sugar, food wastes, and wheat and meslin flour.[10]
- ^ World Bank (2022). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=MU
- ^ World Bank (2022). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS?locations=MU
- ^ World Bank (20212. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS?locations=MU
- ^ World Bank (2022). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NV.AGR.TOTL.ZS?locations=TG
- ^ World Bank (2022). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS?locations=MU
- ^ FAO. Country Briefs: Mauritius https://www.fao.org/giews/countrybrief/country.jsp?code=MUS
- ^ IFAD. Small-Scale Agricultural Development Project https://www.ifad.org/nl/web/operations/-/project/1100000078
- ^ OHCHR Special Rapporteur on the right to food https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Issues/Food/FoodSystems/States/Mauritius.docx#:~:text=The%20agricultural%20producers%20face%20persistent,themselves%20and%20low%20farm%20productivity.
- ^ FAOSTAT (2019). https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#rankings/commodities_by_country
- ^ FAOSTAT (2019). https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#rankings/commodities_by_country_exports
Minimum wage
The minimum wage in Mauritius is set by law at 15,000 Mauritian Rupees (303 EUR) per month[1]. The country enforces basic labour rights, including a standard workweek of 45 hours, paid annual holidays, premium pay for overtime, and a prohibition on compulsory overtime. However, reports indicate that these regulations are only sometimes respected. For instance, although the Ministry of Labor is mandated to investigate overtime violations, there are frequent reports of non-compliance with occupational safety and health (OSH) standards across major industries. Employers are often found neglecting safety regulations, which compromises worker safety. In addition to these issues, there have been instances where employers have demoted workers to part-time status to avoid both wage and hour requirements. The informal sector, which constitutes approximately 10% of the workforce, faces additional challenges. While labour laws are technically enforced in this sector, they are seldom enforced and violations rarely punished.[2]
- ^ Wage Indicator Foundation (2024). Minimum Wage-Mauritius. https://mywage.org/mauritius/salary/minimum-wages
- ^ U.S. Department of State. 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Mauritius. https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/mauritius/
Living wage
The Global Living Wage Coalition has developed 1 Living Wage Benchmark for Mauritius based on the Anker methodology. The Anker Living Wage Reference Benchmark in Mauritius is estimated at 25,170 Mauritian Rupees (508 EUR) per month. This is the wage required for workers in a typical area of Mauritius to afford a basic but decent standard of living. [1] The living wage estimate applies to all of Mauritius workers regardless of industry, as all workers have the same living costs.
- ^ Global Living Wage Coalition (2023). Anker Living Wage reference value: Mauritius 2023. https://www.globallivingwage.org/living-wage-benchmarks/mauritius/
Living income
The Living Wage Benchmark produced by the Global Living Wage Coalition also estimates a living income in the country at 40,493 Mauritian Rupees (817 EUR) per month[1]. This value represents the amount a typical family of 4 with 1.65 full-time workers needs to cover the monthly cost of a basic but decent standard of living, and applies to all workers regardless of industry.
- ^ Global Living Wage Coalition (2023). Anker Living Wage Reference Value: Mauritius 2023. https://www.globallivingwage.org/living-wage-benchmarks/mauritius/
Living Wage Reference Value, Mauritius 
Living wage estimate for a typical family in Mauritius to cover the monthly cost of a basic but decent standard of living.
Fair Trade Risk Map
Highlights standard of living, workers rights, gender rights, child rights, forced labour, etc.
National Wage Consultative Council (NWCC)
This report offers valuable insights into the governmental efforts to improve wage standards and living conditions for workers in Mauritius