ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN WWW.MAURIMAR.COM

Below article is published in Arabic www.maurimar.com Mauritania's leading market information site. Here is Englsih version:


INDIA –MAURITANIA TRADE RELATIONS


Long ago the centuries before, Indian traders traveled across the African continents to sell their hand made fabrics and exotic spices. They enjoyed fruitful business with African countries. The business relations between India and Mauritania also started like this and till continues to grow rapidly in year by year.

Some of the very ancient products like Mysore sandal soap, henna, perfumes & cotton fabrics from India still very popular with Mauritanians.

India use Mauritania as a gateway for entry of Indian products in west and central African markets. Textiles, pharmaceuticals cosmetics, steel and Automotive are hugely exported to Mauritania. Pharmacy, IT hardware and Software industries have good potentials for Indian Exporters. Indian companies like ONGC, BPCL, IBP etc. looking to invest in petroleum and gas sector in Mauritania. Some Indian companies also willing to participate in the infrastructure and Telecommunications sectors.

Interestingly, although, Mauritania’s trade interactions with India have been very friendly, no bilateral high level visits happened so far. No commerce ministers or presidents visited each others country.

But in recent years, Some of Mauritanian Businessmen had set up own offices in India to help fellow Mauritanians to buy quality products from India. Also many Indians travel across the Mauritania to sell their products. Also few work in Mauritanian Factories.

Mauritania’s Main Imports from India are Cotton textiles, Pharmaceuticals, plastics and metal products like steel, biscuits, cosmetics, machineries and auto spares.

Mauritania’s main Exports to India: Metal scraps.

We will look in to depth of this in next issues like trade statistics of cotton textiles & other products.

INDIA –MAURITANIA TRADE RELATIONS

In textile business

Mauritania’s affection in cotton fabrics never fades. In fact it rises year by year.

From the year 2003-04 to 2007-08 Textile imports are growth rate is 45%

Here goes the statistical report from India:

		2003-2004	2004-2005	2005-2006	2006-2007	2007-2008
Cotton & Textiles		13.45	15.66	15.28	11.74	17.05
Growth %			16.43	-2.37	-23.16	45.19

• Values are in US Million Dollars.

Apart from the direct import to Mauritanian ports goods are arriving into the country from Dakar port also.

Approximately Mauritania has imported 7,518,000 meters of fabrics from India which includes dyed fabrics bleached fabrics and plain fabrics. Around 45 containers has been imported to this country on 2007-08.

Textile business in Mauritania had a slow down in 2006-07 but it swings back at the next year. Hopefully 2009 will be another best year for textile importers because of good growth expectations in Mauritania’s Economy. We wish all of them good luck.

-Suresh Aiyer