Defective Seed Potatoes: Mauritius Government Announces Rs 85,000 per Hectare Aid for Affected Growers

The Mauritian government has stepped in with emergency financial assistance for potato planters who suffered significant losses during the 2025 campaign due to defective imported seed potatoes. Following a meeting with producers at the Agricultural Marketing Board (AMB), Minister of Agribusiness Arvin Boollell announced an exceptional subsidy of Rs 85,000 per hectare to help cover part of the production costs incurred by farmers. This new aid comes on top of the full seed compensation already paid out by the Agricultural Marketing Board (WBA), which amounted to Rs 3.5 million across 161 hectares benefiting 64 affected planters. With both measures combined, total government support now reaches nearly Rs 160,000 per hectare. The decision was prompted by an official investigation from the Food and Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (FAREI), which confirmed that the imported seeds were indeed of poor quality, compromising yields and threatening the livelihoods of local growers.

While WBA President Navin Dirpalsing affirmed that the organization had fully honored its responsibility by reimbursing the cost of the defective seeds, he clarified that other production expenses—such as fertilizers, irrigation, land preparation, and labor—fell outside WBA’s mandate. The additional subsidy aims precisely to address these uncovered costs. However, many farmers remain unsatisfied, estimating their total losses at nearly Rs 250,000–265,000 per hectare, far exceeding the combined compensation. WBA President Vinesh Sevraz praised the government’s gesture but acknowledged that more support may be needed to encourage planters to continue farming. Potato cultivation remains strategically vital for Mauritius, covering approximately 700 hectares annually and meeting about 54% of domestic fresh potato demand, with the rest fulfilled through imports. Through this relief package, the government hopes to restore farmer confidence and ensure the sustainability of a sector crucial to reducing the nation’s food dependency.