Export-oriented enterprises lose 2,453 jobs, an 8.1% annual decline

Mauritian workers were most affected, with 1,621 jobs lost, including 1,197 held by women and 424 by men. The number of foreign workers decreased by 832 positions, comprising 603 men and 229 women. Job cuts were concentrated in clothing manufacturing, which lost 1,403 jobs, and the food industry, with 576 positions eliminated.

In the first quarter of 2026 alone, the sector saw a decline of 572 jobs, a 2% decrease, with the workforce falling from 28,224 to 27,652. This reduction was due to 801 job eliminations resulting from workforce reductions in some companies and the closure of others. Regarding exports, EOE companies achieved 9.3 billion rupees in the first quarter of 2026.

This represents a 14.6% decrease compared to the fourth quarter of 2025 but a slight 0.5% increase compared to the same period last year. The United Kingdom, South Africa, the United States, Spain, and France remain the main export markets, accounting for nearly 67% of the sector's sales. While exports to Spain and the United Kingdom increased from the previous quarter, they significantly declined to the United States and South Africa.

Over one year, sales to the United States showed a strong rebound of 54.1%.