Women Entrepreneurship: Cooperative Market Fair at Flic en Flac to promote local products

A Cooperative Market Fair aimed at promoting locally made products and strengthening the market presence of cooperative societies will be held on Saturday 6 June and Sunday 7 June 2026 at the Flic en Flac Public Beach, near Ex Mer de Chine, from 10 00 hours to 16 00 hours.

Some 35 cooperators from 16 cooperative societies are expected to participate, showcasing a wide range of locally produced goods and artisanal products.

Organised by the Cooperatives Division of the Ministry of Industry, SME and Cooperatives, the fair forms part of ongoing efforts to bolster local production and create long-term sustainable market opportunities for cooperative societies across Mauritius. The initiative also seeks to bridge the gap between cooperative societies and the public by providing cooperators with direct access to consumers.

The fair will also highlight the important contribution of women in the cooperative movement and serve as a platform to further advance women’s economic empowerment. The Cooperatives Division remains committed to creating opportunities for women cooperators to market their products and skills to a wider audience.

Women cooperative societies are actively engaged in various sectors ranging from handicrafts, agro-processing, catering, textile production, garment and shoe manufacturing, aquaculture, and agricultural activities to cooperative credit unions, and the sale of food products. Through the cooperative business model, many women are empowered to generate income, support their families and contribute positively to their communities.

Access to markets has remained a major challenge for many cooperative societies. In response, the Cooperatives Division has been actively conducting and facilitating Cooperative Market Fairs in several regions island wide. Previous fairs held in 2025 and 2026 took place at Rue Vieux Conseil in Port Louis, Trou d’Eau Douce Public Beach near Four à Chaux, Quartier des Serres at Domaine de Labourdonnais in Mapou, Mahébourg Waterfront, Victoria Urban Terminal in Port Louis, and Port Louis Waterfront.

According to statistics from the Cooperatives Division as at June 2025, Mauritius had a total of 1,125 active primary cooperative societies comprising 45,168 active male members and 32,008 active female members. Women represented around 40 per cent of the membership of primary cooperative societies between 2021 and 2025.

Figures further indicate that there were 88 cooperative societies operated solely by women, with 1,192 registered members, of whom 753 were active. These women-run cooperatives recorded a turnover of approximately Rs 11 million and generating revenue worth Rs 9.1 million.

Through initiatives such as the Market Fair, the Cooperatives Division aims to further strengthen the visibility, sustainability and economic resilience of cooperative societies while encouraging wider community support for locally made products.

05 June 2026

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Topics: Cooperatives