Repeal multiple taxes, levies on beef producers

Source: Repeal multiple taxes, levies on beef producers – DailyNews Live

STAFF WRITER      14 August 2018

HARARE – Government has been urged to repeal a raft of punitive taxes and
levies on beef farmers charged by at least six State agencies.

The taxes are behind sharp rises in the cost of meat. The Zimbabwe beef
sector study conducted by the Competition and Tariff Commission (CTC),
reveals that the multiplicity of compliance costs are a major barrier to
growth of the beef sector.

The $98,66 compliance cost per beast is relatively high and thereby
discouraging farmers from investing in the beef industry. The report
further suggests that other levies or fees such as Agricultural Marketing
Authority (Ama) registration fees should be scrapped while those by the
Environmental Management Agency (Ema) should be a once-off payment not an
annual fee.

It suggests that Rural District Council (RDC) levy has to be reduced to a
maximum of five percent from about 10 percent and that some of the levies
should be channelled towards the purchase of vaccines of persistent animal
diseases outbreaks like Foot and Mouth and Anthrax.