PRICE CONTROL
The prices of several basic commodities such as rice, flour and bread have traditionally been administered in Mauritius. Administered prices have long represented a form of social protection in Mauritius due to the country's dependence on imported staples such as rice and flour. Price controls were introduced in the late 1960s to benefit consumers by making available essential commodities at reasonable prices and on regular supply.
Price control of commodities can be classified under three categories: -
(i) Commodities under Maximum Retail Price.
(ii) Commodities under Maximum Mark Up.
(iii) Commodities under Maximum Recommended Retail Price.
The
Price Fixing Unit under the aegis of the Ministry of Commerce and Consumer Protection has as main objective to fix the prices of certain essential commodities under the Maximum Price Regulations for the welfare of consumers and to prevent traders from profiteering. It also deals with the price of essential commodities which are subject to control through the Maximum Mark Up system like pharmaceutical products, Infant milk powder etc; milk powder under the Maximum Recommended Retail Price (MRRP) and controlled commodities applicable to the island of Rodrigues.
MAXIMUM PRICE
Consumer goods in respect of which the maximum wholesale and retail prices are determined :
1. Scheduled Bread
2. Fertilizers (Only Straight and Complex)
3. Rice (Excluding luxury rice)
4. Flour (Including Whole Wheat Flour)
5. LPG (Cylinders of 5, 6 & 12 kg)
6. Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK)
7. Mogas & Gas Oil
8. Potatoes
9. Onions
MAXIMUM PRICE OF ESSENTIAL GOODS
Consumer goods controlled under the Maximum Price of Essential Goods
Regulations 2021:
1. Canned Fish (Pilchard & Sardines)
2. Canned Tomatoes
3. Cheese
4. Edible Oil
5. Margarine
6. Milk Powder
7. Pulses (Black Lentils)
8. Pulses (Broad Beans)
9. Pulses (Dholl Gram)
10.Pulses (Dholl Petit Pois)
11.Pulses (Red Lentils)
MAXIMUM MARK UP
Goods controlled under the Maximum Mark Up Regulations are:
SN | List of Commodities | Special Allowance (%) | Mark up (%) |
1 | Canned Fish (Pilchards, Mackerel, and Sardines) | 2 | 20 |
2 | Canned Tomatoes | 2 | 20 |
3 | Processed Cheese | 1 | 20 |
4 | Milk Powder | 2
| 24 |
5 | Pulses (black lentis, red lentils, broad beans, chickpea dal, split peas) | 2 | 24 |
6 | Pasta (macaroni, spaghetti, lasagna, farfalle) | 2 | 25 |
7 | Wheat Cereals (Breakfast Cereals) | 1 | 25 |
8 | Infant Food/Infant Food Preparation | 1 | 25 |
9 | Infant Milk Powder | 0 | 17 |
10 | Edible oil (Soya bean oil, Sunflower oil, Vegetable oil) | 2 | 22 |
11 | Basmati Rice | 6 | 20 |
12 | Long grain Rice | 6 | 20 |
13 | Adult Diapers | 2 | 25 |
14 | Baby Diapers | 2 | 23
|
15
| Blood glucose strips
| 2
| 35
|
16
| Corned Beef
| 1
| 19
|
17
| Corned Mutton
| 1
| 19
|
18
| Face Masks
| 0
| 15
|
19
| Respirators (specialised face masks)
| 0
| 15
|
20
| Hand Sanitisers
| 0
| 15
|
21
| Imported fresh fruits
| 5
| 45
|
22
| Sanitary pads
| 0
| 20
|
23
| Sanitary tampon
| 0
| 20
|
24
| Saniatry towels
| 0
| 20
|
PRICE CONTROL IN RODRIGUES
SN | List of Products | Wholesaler's Profit (%) | Retailer's Profit (%) |
1 | Adult Diapers | 9 | 12 |
2 | Animal feed | 8 | 5 |
3 | Blood Glucose Strips | | 21.6 |
4 | Butter and Margarine | 4 | 7 |
5 | Canned Fish | 6 | 8 |
6 | Canned Meat | 6 | 8 |
7 | Canned Poultry | 6 | 8 |
8 | Canned Sausages | 6 | 8 |
9 | Cheese | 5 | 8 |
10 | Edible Oil (Crude Oil) (Refined Oil) | 5 4 | 8 8 |
11 | Face Masks | 7 | 8 |
12 | Hand Sanitisers | 7 | 8 |
13 | Infant Milk Powder | 6 | 7 |
14 | Milk Powder | 6 | 7 |
15 | Respirators (Specialised Face Masks) | 7 | 8 |
16 | Tea | 3 | 7 |
17 | Cement | N/A | N/A |
18 | Fish (Fresh, Gutted & Chilled) | N/A | N/A |
19 | Bread | N/A | N/A |
20 | Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) | N/A | N/A |
21 | Flour Wheaten | N/A | N/A |
22 | Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG in cylinder of 5,6 and 12 kg) | N/A | N/A |
23 | Rice | N/A | N/A |
24 | Mogas | N/A | N/A |
25 | Gas Oil | N/A | N/A |
26 | Garlic | N/A | N/A |
27 | Onion | N/A | N/A |
28 | Potatoes | N/A | N/A
|