An island country in the Indian Ocean near Africa’s southeastern coastline, the Republic of Mauritius shipped US$1.65 billion worth of exported products around the world in 2025.

That dollar amount results from a -2.3% slowdown from $1.68 billion 5 years earlier in 2021.

Year over year, overall sales of Mauritian exported products retreated by -6.1% compared to $1.75 billion starting from 2024.

Based on the average exchange rate for 2025, the Mauritian rupee appreciated by 9.2% against the US dollar since 2021 but diluted by -0.9% from 2024 to 2025. The stronger local currency for Mauritius compared to 2021 makes its exports paid for in weaker US dollars relatively more expensive for international buyers starting with American currency.

The top 5 most valuable exports from Mauritius are fish including caviar, sugar, special live primates plus reptiles or mammals, unknitted and non-crocheted men’s suits or trousers, then fabrics other than warp-knit. Collectively, that quintet of major exports generated well over two-fifths (44.7%) of total international sales for Mauritius during 2025.

Mauritius’ Major Trading Partners

The latest available country-specific data shows that 79.5% of products exported from Mauritius was bought by importers in: France (13.3% of the Mauritian total), South Africa (12.6%), United States of America (10.5%), United Kingdom (9.7%), Madagascar (9.4%), Spain (7.1%), Netherlands (3.9%), Kenya (3.5%), India (2.53%), Italy (2.43%), United Arab Emirates (2.32%) and Germany (2.31%).

From a continental perspective, 47.1% of Mauritius’ exports by value was delivered to European countries while 28.4% was sold to importers located in countries also part of Africa.

Mauritius shipped another 13.2% worth of goods to buyers in Asia.

Smaller percentages went to customers in North America (10.7%), Oceania (0.5%) led by Australia, Cook Islands and New Zealand, then Latin America (0.1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.

Given Mauritius’ population of 1.26 million people, its total US$1.65 billion in 2025 exports translates to roughly $1,300 for every resident in the African island country. That dollar metric lags the average $1,400 per capita one year earlier for 2024.

Mauritius’ Top 10 Exports

The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Mauritian global shipments during 2025 at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Mauritius.

1. Meat/seafood preparations: US$253.5 million (15.4% of total exports)
2. Sugar, sugar confectionery: $194.1 million (11.8%)
3. Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): $142.3 million (8.6%)
4. Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: $124.7 million (7.6%)
5. Live animals: $122.8 million (7.5%)
6. Knit or crochet fabric: $85.2 million (5.2%)
7. Fish: $78.6 million (4.8%)
8. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $65.9 million (4%)
9. Plastics, plastic articles: $44.3 million (2.7%)
10. Gems, precious metals: $40 million (2.4%)

Mauritius’ top 10 exports generated 69.9% of the overall value of its global shipments.

Live animals represent the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 17.9% from 2024 to 2025.

The other top product category to record improving export sales for Mauritius was optical, technical or medical apparatus via a 3.6% advance.

The leading decliner among Mauritius’ top 10 export categories was gems and precious metals, thanks to a -45.8% year-over-year drop.

Drilling down to 4-digit HTS codes, the most valuable export goods from Mauritius are fish including preserved or prepared caviar (15.4% the Mauritian global total). Sugar (11.8%) finished ahead of special live primates, reptiles and mammals (7.4%), unknitted and non-crocheted men’s suits or trousers (5.5%), non-warp knit fabrics (4.6%), frozen whole fish (3.8%), knitted or crocheted t-shirts and vests (3.2%), electro-medical equipment including x-rays (3%), plastic packing goods including caps and lids (1.9%), then unknitted and non-crocheted women’s clothing (1.8%).

Products Generating Best Trade Surpluses for Mauritius

The following types of Mauritian product shipments represent positive net exports or a trade balance surplus. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports.

In a nutshell, net exports represent the amount by which foreign spending on a home country’s goods or services exceeds or lags the home country’s spending on foreign goods or services.

1. Meat/seafood preparations: US$188.3 million (Down by -4.2% since 2024)
2. Sugar, sugar confectionery: $141.1 million (Down by -16.1%)
3. Live animals: $93.2 million (Up by 17.1%)
4. Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: $76.9 million (Down by -25.1%)
5. Knit or crochet fabric: $70.1 million (Down by -14.4%)
6. Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): $55.1 million (Down by -22.3%)
7. Miscellaneous animal-origin products: $654,000 (Down by -58.4%)
8. Woodpulp: $307,000 (Down by -61.2%)

Mauritius has notably positive net exports in the international trade of clothing and accessories as well as meat or seafood preparations and sugar. In turn, these cashflows indicate Mauritius’ strong competitive advantages under the related product categories.

Products Causing Worst Trade Deficits for Mauritius

Mauritius incurred an overall -US$5.3 billion trade deficit for 2025, expanding by 5.4% from -$5 billion in red ink one year earlier in 2024.

Below are exports from Mauritius that result in negative net exports or product trade balance deficits. These negative net exports reveal product categories where foreign spending on home country Mauritius’ goods trail Mauritian importer spending on foreign products.

1. Mineral fuels including oil: -US$1.6 billion (Up by 6.7% since 2024)
2. Vehicles: -$709.2 million (Up by 5.1%)
3. Machinery including computers: -$453.8 million (Up by 3.8%)
4. Electrical machinery, equipment: -$391.1 million (Down by -1.6%)
5. Fish: -$196.4 million (Up by 47.8%)
6. Cereals: -$169.1 million (Up by 11.4%)
7. Pharmaceuticals: -$158.1 million (Up by 1.3%)
8. Dairy, eggs, honey: -$149.3 million (Up by 13%)
9. Plastics, plastic articles: -$123.4 million (Down by -10.6%)
10. Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefab buildings: -$111.2 million (Down by -4.4%)

Mauritius has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits under the mineral fuels-related products category, historically for processed petroleum oils, petroleum gas and coal.

Mauritian Export Companies

Not one Mauritian corporation ranks among the Forbes Global 2000 list.

Wikipedia does list some exports-related companies from Mauritius. Selected examples are shown below.

• Emtel (telecommunications)
• ENL Group (conglomerate)
• Essar Energy (oil, gas)
• Mauritius Telecom (telecommunications)
• Phoenix Beverages (brewery)
• State Bank of Mauritius (commercial bank)

 
In macroeconomic terms, Mauritius’ total exported goods represent 4% of its overall Gross Domestic Product for 2025 ($41.4 billion valued in Purchasing Power Parity US dollars). That 4% for exports to overall GDP in PPP for 2025 trails the 4.5% for 2024. Those percentages suggest a relatively decreasing reliance on products sold on international markets for Mauritius’ total economic performance, albeit based on a short timeframe.

Another key indicator of a country’s economic performance is its unemployment rate. Mauritius’ unemployment rate averaged 5.8% for 2025, mirroring the average 5.8% in 2024 according to International Monetary Fund statistics.

Mauritius’ capital city is Port Louis.

See also South Africa’s Top 10 Exports, Burkina Faso’s Top 10 Exports and Top African Export Countries

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook report on Africa: Mauritius. Accessed on October 31, 2026

EXCHANGE-RATES.org, Exchange Rate History, Mauritian rupee to US dollars. Accessed on October 31, 2026

Forbes 2024 Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on October 31, 2026

Foreign Trade , United States Census Bureau. Accessed on October 31, 2026

International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on October 31, 2026

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on October 31, 2026

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on October 31, 2026

Wikipedia, Gross domestic product. Accessed on October 31, 2026

Wikipedia, List of Companies of Mauritius. Accessed on October 31, 2026

Wikipedia, Purchasing power parity. Accessed on October 31, 2026