Statistics Mauritius Surveys 280 Enterprises for Sixth CEA

The main objective of this exercise, which is carried out every five years, is to collect data on the operating characteristics and structure of all types of economic activities, except agriculture where different measurement techniques are needed for data collection.

The enterprises surveyed are in wholesale and retail trade, transport, storage and communication and manufacturing, among others.

Wholesale and retail trade is the most popular business on the island.

The CEA is conducted in two phases -- Phase I covering a sample of small production units, that is those employing less than 10 persons and Phase II covering units with 10 or more persons. Data collection for Phase I started in December 2012 and will end in January 2014 while that of Phase II will start in 2014.

According to the CEA, in the last survey carried out in 2007 there were 91,980 production units with 208,800 employees.

Total value-added generated during 2007 survey by the small units covered was estimated at Rs 42,130 million, 82 per cent higher than the value-added of Rs 23,200 million for 2002.

The contribution of the small units covered in the 2007 CEA to the economy worked out to 20 per cent compared to 18 per cent in 2002.