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Agriculture (including fishing, livestock, and forestry) contributes some 30% to Madagascar's GDP, and accounts for about 40% of the value of merchandise exports. Climatic conditions have made agricultural production unpredictable; they have contributed to fluctuations of export earnings, and to food shortages, in recent years. Manufacturing, dominated by light industries (e.g. food processing, textiles, clothing, footwear, and beverages), represents some 12% of GDP and nearly 60% of merchandise exports in value (mostly textiles and apparel goods). Development of the sector is constrained, inter alia, by poor infrastructure and high transportation costs. The mining sector, centered around chrome ore and graphite, is still underdeveloped despite its potential. The services sector accounts for around 52% of GDP, with large potential still unexploited in the tourism subsector. Madagascar is a net importer of services.
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