Government Invests Rs 300 Million in Cold Storage Facilities for Food Preservation

The Mauritian government has launched a significant initiative to reduce post-harvest losses and improve food preservation across the agricultural sector by investing Rs 300 million in establishing cold storage facilities at the National Wholesale Market. This endeavor aims to reinforce food security and support local planters in maintaining the quality of their crops. The announcement was made by the Minister of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy, and Fisheries, Dr Arvin Boolell, during the 27th anniversary celebration of the Agricultural Development and Marketing Association (ADMA).

Key Takeaways:

The government will invest Rs 300 million to establish cold storage facilities at the National Wholesale Market to reduce post-harvest losses and improve food preservation in the agricultural sector.
The Minister of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy, and Fisheries, Dr Arvin Boolell, emphasized the crucial role of small planters in sustaining agricultural growth and food security in Mauritius.
Dr. Boolell highlighted the need for skilled foreign labour to support local production and encouraged planters to strike a balance between innovation and traditional methods.
The Minister of Financial Services and Economic Planning, Dr (Mrs) Jyoti Jeetun, reiterated the government's determination to address the challenges confronting the agricultural sector and assess the scope of these issues to explore targeted solutions.
Junior Minister Gilles Fabrice David commended ADMA's contribution to improving local agricultural output and flagged bacterial wilt as a significant threat to potato crop quality.
The President of ADMA, Mr Kaviraj Santchurn, outlined pressing issues hindering the sector's growth, including labour shortages, rising production costs, climate-related disruptions, theft, and crop diseases.

Statistics:

Mauritius consumed 29,000 tonnes of potatoes in 2024, while local output stood at only 13,000 tonnes, highlighting the country's significant reliance on imports (Source: Dr Jeetun).
The trade imbalance contributes to the depreciation of the Mauritian rupee (Source: Dr Jeetun).
The cold storage facilities are expected to improve food preservation across the agricultural sector, supporting local planters in maintaining the quality of their crops.

Sources:

"Government will invest Rs 300 million to reduce post-harvest losses" (Source: AllAfrica.com).
Dr. Arvin Boolell (Source: AllAfrica.com).
"Government's determination to address the challenges confronting the agricultural sector" (Source: AllAfrica.com).
Dr. Jyoti Jeetun (Source: AllAfrica.com).
ADMA's 27th anniversary celebration (Source: AllAfrica.com).