Madagascar's authorities said they have launched a probe after a report from an international anti-corruption watchdog alleged possible criminal wrongdoing in the lychee tropical fruit trade.
Transparency International (TI) said it had found evidence of corruption, tax fraud and other offences by French and Malagasy organisations involved in the lychee trade and urged authorities in both countries to investigate reports www.enca.com
Solohery Razafindrakoto, a prosecutor at Madagascar's anti-graft court, the Pole Anti-Corruption (PAC), said they opening an investigation.
Madagascar is the biggest supplier of lychee to the European Union, according to the Centre for the Promotion of Imports (CBI), a European agency, most of the production goes to the French market.
The southern Indian Ocean island nation exported up to 25,000 tonnes of lychees in 2019, according to the CBI.
TI said suspected wrongdoing and lack of competition in the market have caused farmers to earn less and European customers to pay more for lower-quality fruit.