Madagascar launches safeguard investigation into rice imports

Antananarivo, September 4, 2026 (XOL Africa) — Madagascar has launched a safeguard investigation into imports of several categories of rice, opening the way for possible temporary restrictions on imports if the government finds that increased foreign supplies are seriously damaging domestic producers.

Madagascar notified the World Trade Organization’s Committee on Safeguards on September 2 that its investigation had been initiated on August 31. The inquiry covers hulled rice, semi-whitened and whitened rice, polished or glazed rice, and broken rice.

The investigation is being conducted by Madagascar’s National Authority for Competition, Consumption and Market Regulation (ANMCC), which will examine whether increased imports have caused, or threaten to cause, serious injury to the domestic industry.

A safeguard investigation does not itself impose an import restriction. Under WTO rules, a member can take safeguard action only after determining that increased imports are causing or threatening serious injury to domestic producers.

The case could nevertheless have implications for Madagascar’s rice market, where imports form an important part of the supply available to consumers. Any eventual safeguard measure could affect importers, exporters and domestic producers, although the government has not announced such a measure at this stage.

Importers and exporters given 30 days

The ANMCC has invited interested parties, including importers and exporters, to participate in the investigation.

Parties have 30 days from publication of the initiation notice to identify themselves and submit comments. Questionnaires issued as part of the inquiry must be returned within 30 business days of receipt, according to Madagascar’s WTO notification.

The authority may also hold public hearings either at the request of interested parties or on its own initiative.

The ANMCC warned that extensions must be properly justified and requested before the relevant deadline. Where parties fail to respond or provide incomplete or incorrect information, the authority may make its determinations using the best information available.

The investigation therefore gives rice traders and other affected businesses a formal opportunity to present evidence on import volumes, prices, market conditions and the state of the domestic industry.

Possible trade restrictions

Safeguards are designed as temporary measures to give a domestic industry time to adjust to a surge in imports. They differ from anti-dumping or countervailing measures because they do not depend on a finding that foreign producers have engaged in unfair trade practices.

For Madagascar, the immediate question is whether the evidence gathered by the ANMCC will establish the level of import increase and whether that increase can be linked to serious injury or a threat of serious injury to domestic producers.

The WTO notification does not, at this stage, establish that such injury has occurred.

Nor has Madagascar announced the form that any potential safeguard would take. If the investigation ultimately supports action, the government could consider temporary restrictions consistent with its WTO obligations.

For now, the case moves into an evidence-gathering phase, with domestic producers, importers and exporters expected to submit information to the ANMCC before the authority reaches its determination.

The investigation highlights the tension facing governments seeking to protect domestic agricultural production while maintaining access to imported food supplies and complying with international trade commitments.