Growth : +4,9% expected in 2023
Economic growth should be at 4,9% in 2023 in Madagascar, according to government forecasts in its finance bill. A previous forecast, at 5,5 %, was revised downwards due to an unfavorable international context. The Malagasy government sets the objective of limiting the 2023 budget deficit to 6% of GDP.
A new general director for Madagascar Airlines
The new general director of Madagascar Airlines is a Frenchman, airline veteran : Thierry de Bailleul. This former Air France employee, of Emirates and Qatar Aiways has the delicate mission of turning around the Malagasy airline, now called Madagascar Airlines. Thierry de Bailleul was presented on December 7, during the signing of a lease agreement for three Embraer E1. The first of these Brazilian devices must be delivered in the coming weeks and will be put online between Madagascar and Reunion Island..
Record sales of cloves
Second agricultural export product after vanilla, cloves generated $225 million in revenue for Madagascar in 2022, according to the latest government data.
The Big Island thus becomes the world's leading exporter of this product., of which Indonesia is the leading producer. 18,000 farmers feed this sector which covers 70,000 hectares, mainly on the east coast. Significant investments have enabled strong growth in production in recent years.
Wild pepper in danger of overexploitation
Very fashionable product for several years, wild pepper from Madagascar (tsiperifery) could become a rare commodity. In cause, the method of picking these grains, which grow on tall vines climbing up trees. The pickers, to make the task easier, cut the vines and their support, which obviously do not grow back quickly enough to meet growing demand. The FOFIFA, national center for applied research in rural development, works to convince rural communities on the east coast to change their ways, under penalty of seeing the manna disappear.
Tourism recovery in small steps
The Big Island welcomed 106,000 external visitors from January to November 2022, i.e. three times less than before the health crisis, according to the Madagascar Tourism Confederation. This timid recovery is mainly due to the insufficient air supply., in connection with the collapse of Air Madagascar and the reluctance of the Malagasy authorities to authorize the resumption of Air Austral operations on its routes serving provincial airports. The persistent closure of the line between Tananarive and South Africa is further hampering attendance at the destination. With optimism, the Ministry of Tourism expects 300,000 arrivals in 2023.
